Legacy 201: Divine Witchervention
Part 3
Xxx
Just outside of San Francisco, a prisoner transport van was driving down the road. Inside the van sat a convinced murderer, being watched by two armed security guards. The murderer had been sentenced to life without parole in a maximum security prison, which was where he was being transported to. Suddenly, the van hit the brakes and came to a grinding halt.
"What the hell?" One of the guards called out.
"There is someone on the road." The driver said. "She appeared out nowhere."
"I'll check it out, you stay with him." The guard said to the other.
The guard got out of the back of the van and circled it with his gun out. There was a woman standing in the middle of the road. She was dressed in ragged clothes and had strange black markings all over her face, like tattoos. Her fingernails were long and sharp like razors, while her brown hair was long and tangled. The guard had seen plenty of weird stuff during his time, but nothing like this.
"Are you lost or something?" The guard asked. "You can't be in the middle of the road, lady. Someone could get hurt."
"Surrender the murderer." The woman hissed.
"I'm afraid I can't do that." The guard replied as he stepped back and readied his gun. "I don't condone his actions, but I have my duties."
The woman stepped closer and looked at him with piercing eyes. The guard felt uneasy as bad memories started to surface out of nowhere, prisoners he had mistreated in the past, the mistakes he had made, his ex-wife. He could hear their voices in his mind.
"Stop!" The guard yelled. "What are you doing?"
"You are not innocent." The woman replied. "Neither is he."
The woman screeched and charged at the guard. He aimed his gun and fired several times, though the bullets did not even affect her. The screaming voices in his head became overwhelming and the guard fell to his knees. When the woman reached him, she lashed open his chest with her nails. The van driver panicked and drove in reverse, though he saw another woman appear in the rearview mirror and spun around to avoid her, crashing into a nearby tree.
The two women circled the van and found the driver and the second guard unconscious. One of them opened the door and was kicked in the face by the murderer, who jumped out and ran into the forest, despite being handcuffed. The two women screamed furiously before running after him.
"Stay away from me!" the murderer screamed.
The murderer was gaining distance, though he was tackled to the ground by a third woman. He crawled to get away, but soon found himself surrounded by the three strange women. The murderer begged to be let go, though his voice was overruled by the voices of all his victims. He heard them beg for their miserable lives. The agony he felt was unbearable and the three women seemed to revel in his pain. The brunette stepped forward and grabbed his neck, blowing smoke into his mouth. The murderer coughed as he was suffocated to death. Satisficed, the women turned to leave, though they were surprised by a whirlwind that formed into Rhea.
"I see the world has not been kind to the Furies eithers." Rhea noted.
"Who are you?" The brunette Fury asked.
"I am Rhea, Queen of the Titans." Rhea replied.
"One of the ancient ones." The Fury replied as she and her sisters bowed. "You have returned."
"I have." Rhea said. "And it is time to restore the natural order. The Furies were once deities of vengeance, not mere predators hunting petty criminals."
"The times have changed." The Fury admitted. "We are not as powerful as our ancestors. Our thirst for vengeance compels us to hunt evil-doers."
"Join my court as elite warriors and I shall promise you all the vengeance in the world." Rhea said. "You shall be revered once again."
"We would be honored." The Fury replied. "But we cannot pass judgment on those without evil in their hearts."
"What is your name?" Rhea asked.
"Megaera." The Fury replied.
"Follow me, Megaera, and you shall pass judgment on those who committed crimes against this world and its rightful ruler." Rhea promised. "All men have evil in their hearts, they destroyed this world and they deserve to suffer for it."
"In that case, we accept." Megaera replied. "My Queen."
"Gather your sisters." Rhea said. "Find me a palace from which I can start my rule."
The Furies bowed and disappeared through streams of smoke. Rhea looked at the murderer and waved her hand, causing him to be evaporated instantly. A whirlwind surrounded her before she disappeared into the skies.
Xxx
In the Heavens, Noah and Kevin appeared through columns of orbs. Noah had not been up there in a while, though he noticed there was unrest. The council feared the return of Rhea, as they had been nearly destroyed the last time the Titans were released. It was only through the intervention of Leo and the Charmed Ones that the council had been saved, though it had come a price. Piper had nearly lost her humanity. Noah still did not support the idea of turning the cousins into Gods, though he knew it was the only way to beat a powerful force like Rhea.
"You should wear your robes." Kevin noted.
"I think we have bigger concerns than protocol." Noah replied. "Besides, I never liked wearing them."
"Alright." Kevin said. "We shouldn't waste time. The others are waiting by the Heavenly Vault."
"Fun memories." Noah remarked.
Noah followed Kevin as he headed to the vault, where the divine essence was sealed away. Noah had never asked how the Elders had managed to contain the essence in the first place. It was raw magical power that once filled the universe, a force of light that was a counterpart to the Hollow, which only sought to absorb all magic until there was nothing left. When they reached the vault, Noah saw Odin and Qetesh were waiting for them.
"Noah, thank you for coming." Qetesh said.
"Don't thank me just yet." Noah replied. "This is a bad idea."
"It is the only solution we have." Odin noted. "We are just as concerned as you are."
"With all due respect, you're not." Noah said. "I care about the cousins. I'm concerned for their safety, not just the risk they pose if they lose control."
"Don't forget your place." Odin snapped at him.
"Odin, please." Qetesh said in an attempt to calm him before turning to Noah. "We understand your hesitation, which is why we felt it should be you. Your connection and friendship with the cousin will help you guide them."
"They're not ready." Noah replied. "Only those emotionally stable enough can resist the essence."
"Then what do you suggest?" Odin asked.
"The vault contains more than just the essence." Noah said. "There must be some kind of magical weapon or artifact we can use."
"There is nothing in there strong enough to vanquish a Titan." Kevin replied.
"Then how about reaching out to the side of evil?" Noah asked. "Rhea is a threat to them as well."
"The Underworld has no leader." Qetesh noted. "And we do not bargain with the lord of Purgatory."
"We already discussed all these options, boy." Odin remarked impatiently. "We summoned you to release the essence and guide the Halliwells, nothing else."
"You want me to release it too?" Noah asked.
"We felt that you were the best choice." Kevin explained. "When Leo turned the Charmed Ones into goddesses, he knew exactly which powers to grant the sisters because he knew them."
"I don't know all of the cousins that well." Noah replied. "I'm only a Whitelighter to some of them."
"Not anymore." Qetesh said. "With the tragic loss of Prue and the corruption of Grace, we feel that all the cousins need guidance, even those with Whitelighter blood."
"And what about demon blood?" Noah asked.
"Even him." Odin replied, though Noah could tell he resented the idea. "The council has decided that Julian earned this right when he released the souls captured by the Seer and helped vanquish the Morrigan."
"Though the vote was hardly unanimous, thanks to Odin." Kevin remarked.
"It doesn't matter right now anyway." Noah said. "Julian has been gone for months and we have no way to contact him. And with Melinda on her honeymoon, we only have six cousins."
"Six Gods against one Titan is something we're willing to bet on." Qetesh replied. "Piper vanquished two Titans all on her own."
"By giving up her humanity." Noah reminded her.
"She was brought back in time." Qetesh said. "We're counting on you to do the same should it come to that. You must know this is the only way, otherwise you wouldn't have come."
"I still don't agree, but you're right." Noah replied.
"Good." Odin said. "Go into the vault and retrieve the essence. Don't let anything else in there distract you."
Noah nodded and he walked to the vault door, which magically opened as he reached it. The last time he was in the vault, he had nearly torn the Heavens apart with the Apple of Discord. In that moment, he resented the Elders for their frustrating bureaucracy and their part in Calliope's death. She was the first woman he had loved, and it was Prue that opened his heart to love again. It was strange that losing her sent him right back to where he started.
The vault was filled with countless magical artifacts. Noah saw the Apple resting on a pillar and realized he needed to do better this time, the cousins needed him. The vase containing the essence was in the back on the vault, standing on another pillar. It looked unremarkable considering the power it contained. He was about to pick it up when he felt a chill down his spine. There was a darkness in the vault that was calling out to him. He followed it and found a magically hidden doorway, shielded by powerful magic. The moment he touched the door, he felt an intense hatred emanating from it.
"I warned you not to get distracted." Odin's voice sounded behind him. "Step away from the door."
"What is in there?" Noah asked.
"That is none of your concern." Odin replied.
"I never felt anything like this." Noah said. "This isn't just a vault, is it? It's a prison."
"There is nothing there." Odin replied determined. "That is the official story at least. Only the eldest members of the council even remember it exists, which is how it must remain."
"You're afraid of it." Noah noted.
"Enough." Odin snapped at him. "We're running out of time."
"Alright." Noah said. "But this conversation isn't over."
"Just do your job and let the past be in the past." Odin replied.
Odin turned around to leave while Noah stepped away from the door. The hatred seemed to fade as the Elder left. Whatever was trapped in there, it seemed to be connected to Odin personally, which was why it reacted so strongly to his presence. Could this be the darkness that Kevin had foreseen, the threat larger than Rhea? Whatever it was, it had to be wait until the Titan was dealt with. Noah picked up the vase and hoped the cousins were strong enough for what was coming.
Xxx
At the Halliwell manor, Chris returned to the conservatory with a pitcher of iced tea, which he placed on the table before sitting down. He wondered why Payton had called for this family meeting. His youngest cousin seemed upset and she mentioned being worried about Penny, though the conversation was interrupted by Wyatt, who was clearly still dealing with his hangover. Maybe they needed to address his behavior as well, since he hadn't been acting like himself for months.
"So what's this about, Payton?" Laura asked after she poured her a glass. "You mentioned you were worried about Penny."
"I am." Payton replied as she accepted the glass. "Have any of you seen her lately?"
"I checked in a couple of times." Chris said. "She usually had an excuse not to talk and I've been pretty busy with work, so I didn't really push the issue either."
"I've seen her at the club plenty of times." Wyatt noted. "She seemed fine."
"Did you actually talk to her or were you too busy picking up your next date?" Chris remarked.
"You know, I'm getting pretty sick of your judgment, Chris." Wyatt replied.
"Guys, let's not do this now." Laura intervened. "Payton clearly needs to talk to us, so we need to be here for her."
"You're right, sorry." Wyatt replied.
"Thanks." Payton said. "The thing is, Penny has been avoiding us all summer and when I got home, the condo was complete mess."
"Do you think she has been neglecting herself?" Laura asked.
"I think so." Payton said. "She seems so angry and I don't know how to talk to her."
"It sounds like she's not dealing with her grief." Chris reasoned. "She is stuck in the anger stage."
"What do you mean?" Wyatt asked.
"Grief has five stages." Chris explained. "The first is denial, then comes anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. The stages are different for each person though."
"I remember mom telling me about the stages." Payton replied.
"I remember going through them while dealing with Grace." Laura admitted. "I spent so much time trying to find a way to fix her, to bargain for her soul, but eventually I had to accept that the Grace we love was gone."
"We're all still dealing with the pain in our own ways." Chris noted. "I think we've not been paying enough attention to Penny."
"She always seems so tough." Laura said. "She knows how to put on a brave face, but she's clearly been struggling on her own."
"I guess I have been a little selfish lately." Wyatt said. "I should have seen it."
"What are we going to do?" Payton asked.
"About what?" A voice sounded behind them.
Chris turned around and saw Penny standing in the door opening with her arms crossed. He had no idea how long she had been standing there, but she was clearly in a foul mood.
"Penny." Payton said shocked. "W-what are you doing here?"
"I knew what you were planning." Penny replied. "Your thoughts were practically screaming at me when you left."
"Penny, the only reason we're here is because we're worried about you." Laura said. "Let's talk about this."
"Talk about what?" Penny snapped at her. "That all of you are talking about me behind my back? Treating me like some poor innocent that needs help?"
"We only want to help." Chris said.
"No, I don't need an intervention." Penny replied. "I don't need you telling me how I should feel or act. You're no better than me."
"Nobody is saying that." Wyatt said. "But we're a family and we…"
"Save the speech, mister high and mighty." Penny interrupted him. "You're going to tell me how to deal with my feelings while you stick your tongue down everyone's throat at P3 just to get over your breakup?"
"That's a little harsh, Penny." Chris said.
"Really?" Penny asked with a frown. "You're thinking the same thing, Chris. And you're no better, hiding out in that hospital to play mother Theresa."
"Stop reading our minds, Penny!" Payton called out.
"Alright, I think we need to calm down." Laura said as she attempted to defuse the situation. "Nobody is better or worse than the others. We're all here for the same reason, because we love each other, right? We just need to talk this out."
"All you ever want to do is talk." Penny replied. "Talking won't fix anything. It won't bring her back!"
The room fell silent as the pain behind her words became clear. Prue wasn't coming back. Before anyone could speak, the entire room suddenly began trembling. The pitcher of iced tea fell to the floor and shattered while several pieces of furniture tumbled over. Living in San Francisco, the cousins were used to the occasional earthquake, but something about this felt different. A few moments after it started, the trembling ended.
"Did anyone else feel that?" Chris asked.
"I sensed magic." Wyatt noted. "A lot of it."
"Could it be related to the heat?" Laura asked. "It doesn't seem natural either."
"Hold on." Chris replied as something started stirring in his memories. "Heat waves, earthquakes. Does this sound familiar to anyone else?"
A swirl of orbs appeared in the conservatory and formed into Henry Jr., who looked like he had orbed home straight from the beach, as he was wearing board shorts.
"Guys, something weird is going on." Henry said.
"The earthquake?" Payton asked.
"That too." Henry noted. "But I was actually talking about people freaking out over what happened at that new fancy hotel by the beach. An army of tattooed women showed up and threw everyone out."
"Tattooed women?" Penny asked with a frown.
"I only saw them from a distance." Henry replied. "But they're strong and their faces are covered by these strange markings."
"Sound like Furies." Chris noted. "But they're known to hunt criminals. The only reason they would change their m.o. is if something convinced them to do so."
"Something very powerful." Wyatt added. "Like beings that can cause earthquakes and heat waves?"
"You mean beings from Greek mythology." Laura concluded. "We could be dealing with Titans."
At that moment, a column of orbs appeared formed into Noah. Chris noticed the Whitelighter was holding an ancient looking vase that emanated power. A memory from his time-traveling counterpart popped up in his mind and he recognized the ancient vase. It proved their theory about the Titans, which meant that he knew what was coming next.
xxx