Twice in Two Lifetimes

Chapter V

Cole stopped in front of the convent's large doors and turned back, waiting for Leo.

"What," Leo exclaimed.

"Hey, you are the one who chose to wear a priest habit. Now, to get into this place, that will be very useful…"

Leo sighed dejectedly, tempted to turn back. However, Cole seemed really anxious about this.

"Alright, but if they find me out and I get burned at the stake…"

"I will not let that happen. Although, if you do not hurry up, I might just delay and watch you roast for a while…"

"I see that you are showing your true colors," Leo snickered, even as he knocked on the wooden door.

He shrugged when he saw the self-satisfied smile that played on Cole's lips at this. It did not last long, but that was more than enough for Leo to see how much his companion enjoyed teasing him.

One of the nuns cracked the door opened and asked impatiently:

"What is it?"

"Sister, may I request a visit of your fine nunnery? I traveled from a far land and heard of it even there…"

"What," was the astounded nun's response.

Leo turned to Cole askance, and this one rolled his eyes dejectedly.

Then, as he saw the nun about to close the door again, he lifted his eyebrows imperatively toward Leo.

This one understood without a word and put his foot in the threshold.

"Sister, please you must allow me an audience with your Reverend Mother."

He heard Cole's impatient sigh, and dropped his shoulders to demonstrate his irritation. However, he saw that the nun was getting more annoyed by the moment and would not let them in. Sighing, he began concentrating on her.

Looking straight into her eyes, he started in a soft but firm voice:

"You want us to come in, you are eager to show us in, even."

The nun shook her head as if to chase away something, but her eyes returned to his nevertheless, as if she could not escape his stare.

Leo pursued, even more persuasive:

"I would be glad to greet you inside…"

The nun repeated the words even as he was saying them, and slowly opened the door fully for them.

As if transfixed, she showed them in.

Cole followed Leo silently, careful not the break the tenuous connection.

Only when the nun left them, presumably to get the Reverend Mother, did he talk again.

"Well, that was not too difficult now was it? You have to teach me this little parlor trick someday…"

Leo did not like the offhandedly manner in which he described his power:

"This little parlor trick, as you call it, could mean the difference between us finding your lover, and us being thrown out of this place unceremoniously. I imagine that it is what we are here for?"

"Didn't you tell me that she will have forgotten all about us in a few minutes," Cole replied, ignoring the last question.

"That will work until we are spotted by someone else," Leo retorted, looking around nervously. "I suggest that we moved on…"

Cole did not answer, but rather took the direction of the hallway facing them.

Leo followed silently for a moment, but was still wondering what the demon expected to find.

"So, what are we looking for exactly?"

"I have no idea. Just something that will tell me what Reinhart was doing here. We need to figure it out, because I am sure that he is still after Maria."

This he had said with a hint of fear that did not escape Leo.

Leo was about to ask him more precision about what he had felt, hoping that it would indicate more clearly what he should be looking for, when they came face to face with two women who looked distraught.

The first thing that struck him was their appearance. One of them obviously did not belong in this place. She wore street clothes and in very bad taste at this. It was easy to guess her profession. The other had on a more appropriate nun habit, but both of them seemed just as worried, although obviously not about being seen together.

Indeed, they were talking a little too loud at the moment.

"What happened," the street girl was asking to the nun with a panicky edge to her voice.

"I am afraid that Phoebe is lost."

"How could you say that? You are already giving up on our sister! Phoebe was right about you, you are a coward."

"How dare you!"

Piper still had her mouth opened, probably preparing some outraged objection, when she caught sight of the two men.

Startled, she took a step back.

"What are you doing in here?"

Leo looked Paige up and down before answering.

"I could ask her the same thing…"

Piper seemed slightly embarrassed, while Paige just stared back at him insolently.

As she regained some countenance, Piper replied:

"I asked you first. What are you doing here?"

Leo tried to think of some explanation, but finding none, he turned to Cole for help. However, he realized that the demon seemed transfixed, as if stricken.

"Cole?"

"It is them. At least, two of them…"

"What?"

"The witches, they are the witches we have been looking for…"

Piper and Paige took several steps back before babbling:

"What are you talking about, are you mad?"

Cole took a deep breath, then took a step forward, trying his best to look reassuring.

"Do not worry, we are here to help."

Piper was not about to trust a stranger with her most precious secret, however:

"You are mistaken, mister. I will ask you to leave these premises at once, before I call for help."

Both men ignored her threat, while Leo questioned Cole:

"Are you sure? I mean, she is a nun!"

"I can see them, I can see through them, what they were before…"

"Is she one of them?"

Cole lowered his head, obviously pained.

"No…"

"What in the name of God are you two talking about? You must really be crazy."

Undeterred, Cole took a few more steps toward them.

"I know you, I have known you for a very long time, even if you do not remember me, Marguerite."

Now, Piper was thoroughly convinced that they had to be mad or drunk.

"My name is Sister Maria. I have no idea on who is this Marguerite, which you are referring to. You obviously are mistaken."

Cole was becoming impatient, now more convinced than ever that Reinhart had been there for his Maria.

"It does not matter what your name is now, you are still witches. The witches from the prophecy."

Leo saw the frightened expressions of the women, and thought that he should intervene.

"Cole, you are scaring them, it will get you nowhere."

Cole turned to him with irritation.

"Time is of the essence. Reinhart was here, and who knows what he has done?"

Ignoring his companion's warning, he moved quickly toward Paige.

"Come on, Meredith, you were always the most open-minded. You have to believe me."

Paige was about to protest as well, but he took her hand firmly in his, provoking a premonition.

'Four women were in front of a tall and dark figure. They were standing in some sort of a dark cave. The demon facing them was building a fireball in his hand, even as three of the women began chanting a spell, while the other seemed to hold the demon within a circle of white shimmering light. The demon appeared to falter for a moment, as if the spell was working, but suddenly he stepped out of the restraining circle, and then threw the fireball at the closest women. This one burst into flames, screaming in agony, even as the man holding her hand now, was shimmering in front of the burning woman a split second too late to prevent her demise. The man turned to the dying woman with a scream of despair, as he saw her being totally consumed. Meanwhile, the demon, ignoring him, turned to the second woman, and quickly building another fireball, he threw it toward her as well, with the same unfortunate result. The fourth woman reacted by sending a bolt of the same white light in his direction, sending him flying a good distance. This seemed to shake the shimmering man out of his stricken trance. He turned resolutely toward the demon, and with rage written all over his face, he materialized an athame, launching toward the dark form, now lying down on the hard floor of the chamber. Without hesitation, he stabbed him deeply. Unfortunately, that was not enough to kill the demon, but it weakened him. He still found the strength to send his attacker flying almost across the chamber, where this one fell hard in turn. Seeing this and in desperation, the two women that were left alive, gave another try to the spell. Given the fact that he was wounded, the spell worked as they had originally planned. In an instant, the Source was engulfed in flames and blew apart.

Then Cole got up slowly from where he had fallen, and walked toward the location where Maria had been stricken. Falling on his knees, he let out a sorrowful scream, startling the two women, who were still stuck in place, in total disbelief.

They turned to him only to hear his promise to the empty spot.

"I will find you, we will be together again. I swear it to you."

Another man staggered from a dark corner, tears rolling freely down his cheeks. He looked shocked. Cole lifted his head toward him at this point, and seemed to only then, realize that this one had also lost the one he loved.

Unable to look at him anymore, he turned to where Marguerite had stood, and in a hoarse voice, he uttered.

"I'm sorry, I am sorry that I could not save them."

Then before they could say anything to him, he had shimmered out."

'

Paige returned to the present with a start. She looked up at the stranger with a very intense surprise.

"You were there, and…We were too, but not the same…"

Cole did not have time to question her about the vision, because an angry voice interrupted them.

"What is the meaning of this?"

This was the nun who had greeted Phoebe and Paige the night before.

"I thought that I was clear about this one," she said indignantly, indicating Paige. "She was supposed to stay in the kitchens. "Moreover, who are these men and how did they get in? Was that your doing too, Sister Maria?"

This was all too much for Piper and she panicked. Lifting her hand nervously, she froze the nun, and in doing so, she froze Cole as well.

Paige seemed puzzled for an instant, as she retrieved her hand from Cole frozen grip. Then her eyes opened wide.

"Oh my god, he is not a witch!"

Leo quickly intervened:

"No, but I am. I assure you, Cole is here to help you."

Paige continued with her own train of thoughts:

"What is he? He was there all that long ago in my vision. Looking exactly the same," she pursued as she was stepping back uncertainly.

"It does not matter what he is, only that we are both here to help you…"

He did not have time to say more before another nun came beside them, exclaiming just as angrily about the visitors. However, she stopped short when looking back at her fellow sister, she saw that she was not moving.

Waving her hand in front of her, she realized that this one was frozen in place. They might still have gotten out of this mess, if the first nun had not unfrozen right then and pointed an accusing finger toward Piper:

"What are you doing to me?"

Leo tried his power of suggestion on them, but two of them were too many, and the screams were already bringing more nuns their way. As Cole unfroze in turn, Leo signaled to him to follow him with Paige, as he ran toward Piper and pulled her back down the hallway. Cole did not need much convincing, as he could see the accumulating crowd coming their way. He grabbed Paige's arm, even as she protested, and quickly dragged her behind Leo.

They emerged into the kitchens, and Leo closed the door quickly behind Cole and Paige.

"Cole, I think that this borough has become very unhealthy for all of us."

"I am afraid that I will have to agree. Girls, I do think that you should come with us."

Piper stiffened at this.

"Going with you? Are you insane? We do not know you. For all we know, you might be trying to lure us into a trap. This is all your fault, after all. I was just fine where I was. I will convince them that you did it all."

Cole did not care much for this.

Outside the door, they could hear people coming their way, and soon there was an insistent knocking.

"If we had time, I might argue this point with you, but we do not have this luxury. Leo, drag her out of here if you have to, we are going," he then said, as he pulled on Paige's arm again, and directed her quickly toward the back door. Paige did not protest, as now she realized that her banter of the night before might just become true.

Piper, on the other hand, stood fast.

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

Leo came to her, and insisted:

"I swear to you, we are here to help. I know that it does not look good now, but we only want to save you."

"I do not need saving. Until you came here, I was perfectly safe."

"The situation has changed. They will suspect you now. You know perfectly well that suspicion is equal to guilt in this world."

She flinched at this, but what decided her, were the words that one of the nuns screamed through the door.

"Open this door, witch. Have the courage to face your judgement."

Cole was calling impatiently from outside:

"Leo, now!"

Piper hesitated only a moment longer, then she ran out ahead of Leo, who sighed in relief as he followed her outside…

Phoebe found herself waiting impatiently into a dark cave. Without knowing how, or why she had been directed to this place.

She only knew that she had waited way too long already. Only one thought occupied her mind at the moment:

"When is he going to show up so that I can kill him?"

Reinhart had observed her for a long period of time, seeing the anger growing in her. This was perfect. Exactly the way he wanted her. Full of hatred and ready for him.

When he thought that it was time, he materialized behind her.

"So, what's next," he calmly uttered.

Phoebe turned on herself with rage on her face. Instantly, an athame appeared in her hand and without wait, she threw it at the newcomer.

The knife missed its mark however, as Reinhart shimmered out and reappeared on the other side of her.

"I'm here!"

Phoebe angrily turned toward him again, ready to pounce. However, before she could do a thing, he had shimmered out again.

She screamed in frustration.

In her mind, the hated man talked:

"We could play this game for a very long time. Or, I could begin teaching you about your new powers…"

Looking around herself angrily, she answered aloud:

"I know all I have to know about my powers. All I care about now, is for you to die."

The irritating voice continued echoing in her mind.

"Of course, you would think that, but consider this. Killing me will only bring you a small satisfaction. I could teach you the ways of evil and then, you could take your revenge on the real guilty parties. The humanity who let you down, and even more so, the man who watched you die and then pretended that he loved you in your former life…"

"I do not know of such a man, I only know how much I hate you!"

"And you want me dead. I know. Well, my dear, your feeble powers are not enough to destroy me. But who knows, in time and with my guidance, you might grow into a very powerful warlock."

"I want nothing to do with you," she uttered then, but with a slight hesitation. The thought of more powers, and of taking revenge on all the people who hurt her was a tempting one.

"Focus," he was saying again, "let your hate make you more powerful. Do not let it run you. Only then will you become all you can be…"

"And what would that be," she asked derisively, even though, she was curious deep down.

"It is up to you, but I was thinking that you could become my right hand. Together we could rule the underworld and then, the world."

"Ambitious if you ask me…"

"But possible… First however, there is another one that you would need to bring here in order for us to be ready."

"I thought that you wanted to reign. Wouldn't three of us be a crowd?"

The voice roared:

"I will reign, do not be mistaken. I will rule over you, and him, and all of them. Nevertheless, you could share in my powers, if you help me."

"What about this other one?"

Reinhart suddenly shimmered only feet away from her…

"We need him too, but he will come to you. If only to prove to himself that he loves you…"

Phoebe was totally confused then. She wanted to kill the monster in front of her. However, what he suggested had an enormous appeal. Yet, she could not understand how she could be loved by a man that she did not know, and even less how she could bring him to them because of it."

A satisfied smile appeared on the monster's lips, as he watched her.

"I see that you are thinking. Good…"

"I do not understand," she replied, even as she was itching to hit him.

"All you have to do is bring me Beltram. Then you will understand…"

"How?"

"He is looking for you. Make it easy for him to find you…"

As he was saying this, the clear image of a stranger formed in her mind, no doubts sent by the demon in front of her.

"Why do you need him for?"

"So that he will pay. Forever…"

As soon as he had finished talking, he vanished.

Phoebe was left there wondering why she had not simply tried to kill him again. Yet, in her mind, an idea started to form; one that she was not sure if it had come from her, or from a suggestion. Either way, she felt compelled to act upon it… A few minutes later, she blinked out, knowing where to go, even if she was not sure how…

Cole and Leo had pushed and pulled the girls imperatively, knowing that they had very little time before a whole posse came after them. Around these parts, witchcraft was the worse of crimes, in spite of the fact that most magic was meant to protect them. Mortals only knew that they did not understand it and feared it for this reason alone.

At the town's doors, a guard stopped them. The spectacle that they offered him was rather unusual. A nun riding with a priest and a merchant riding with a street girl made the guard overtly suspicious. Leo tried once more to talk his way out of this place. However, as the talk prolonged, they could hear clamors coming toward them, and all of them realized that their time was counted. Cole simply pushed the guard aside, while calling impatiently for Leo to mount his horse quickly. Without wait, this one did, and then rode as fast as he could behind Cole, who was quickly distancing him, while Paige did her best not to fall off the mount.

They went on for hours, this until the girls protested loudly that no one was following them anymore. Cole had directed them into the fields rather than the dirt road, and it seemed that they had indeed lost their pursuers. However, as much as he understood that they must be exhausted, he had intended to ride through the day, and only stop for the night.

"Hey," Paige screamed in his ears, at last "didn't you hear me? I said that I wanted to stop!"

Irritably, he turned halfway toward her.

"It's not safe yet."

"It won't do us any good if we fall off the horse out of exhaustion. I can see that you are just as tired as I am…"

Cole had to admit that it had been a long two days. He had more resistance to fatigue himself, but reasoned that Leo and the girls might not be able to go any farther without rest.

Pulling the reins, he turned toward Leo who was coming fast in their direction.

"I think that we should stop."

Paige uttered a derisive laughter.

"You think?"

He just grimaced in annoyance toward her, before she dismounted.

Paige had not realized how long it had been until she took a few steps and felt her wobbly legs.

She almost let herself down to the ground right then and there, as her sister dismounted in turn, obviously experiencing the same unpleasant sensation.

They looked at each other with the same terrible apprehension. In one night and day, their sister had apparently turned bad, and Piper had lost the stability and peace that she had almost taken for granted.

Leo observed them sadly for a moment, then he looked around and spotted an overhanging tree where he thought that they could settle for a while.

Indicating it to Cole, he then walked toward it without waiting for an answer, decided to start a fire. Cole had stayed on the horse, unwilling to dismount just yet. He felt the urge to continue. He had to find her still, even though he did not have the first clue as to how.

In addition, he figured that there might be some habitations out there, where they could spend the night more comfortably.

Turning the horse toward Leo, he quickly reached him.

"I will go have a look around while you rest…"

"Don't you think that you might use some rest as well?"

"Do not worry yourself about me. Will you be alright with those two?"

"Why not?"

Cole was not too certain if he should just shrug at this offhanded response. He was about to leave anyway, when Leo called back.

"I know what is bothering you…"

"Do you, now," Cole questioned without looking back.

"If the girls are right, there might not be anything that you can do for her."

Cole hesitated, but began walking the horse away, without answering.

"It could just be the end for her, if she did choose evil…"Leo called louder.

Cole stopped the horse and slowly turned toward him.

"I cannot give up trying Leo. I have to find her."

"Just remember that you are not alone in this thing…"

Cole just turned back and rode away.

Phoebe observed the group from afar. She had found them easily. It was strange to her, but she knew where to go right away. He was just like the image in her mind. She watched him go and blinked out, reappearing ahead of him but out of the others' sight. As she was waiting for him to come over the hill, she still wondered why she would do that monster's bidding. Whatever he had told her about this Beltram, she had no idea on who he was. Yet, deep down, something told her that there was a connection between them, however tenuous.

In the underworld, a group of lower level demons and warlocks debated on their next course of action. They had heard of unusual activities up top and wondered about it. For the last twenty years or so, they had built up a force of their own, unhindered by the now defunct Source. Their assembly would have been impossible under the implacable rule of their former master. However, without him, they had found safety against the strongest demons in numbers, and they enjoyed the freedom to do as they pleased. A while ago, another faction had disbanded the all-powerful brotherhood of the Thorn. This after one of their members was found to have defected to the other side, and eventually helped killing the Source. This had weakened the Brotherhood's position in the underworld even more than the death of the Source himself. Very few of their numbers had survived the purge, but the ones who had were still a potential risk to all of the lower demons. Word was going around that one of them had surfaced and was trying to get back to his former status. Some theorized that he might want even more than this. Decided to preserve their newfound freedom, they set out to find out which of them he was, and to stop him at all cost.

Phoebe saw him coming and became strangely impatient. What was it about this man, whatever he truly was, which had this effect on her? Shaking away her doubts however, she moved toward him with her best enticing routine.

Cole reined in the horse as soon as he saw her. He knew immediately that the one that he had been looking for had found him instead. For a moment, he hoped that she had simply changed her mind and was coming back to her sisters, and to him incidentally. However, as she came closer with this artificial smile on her face, he sensed the same hesitating evil as before. "What is her purpose then?" He asked himself with a hint of disappointment. But much more than this, he was angry with himself for not finding her in time. Whatever happened next, he could not give up on her, just as he had told Leo. Not knowing what to expect, he dismounted and waited for her to come nearer.

"Hello," she said in a sultry voice that left him no doubts about the attempt at seduction. "I have been waiting for you…" She continued just as suggestively.

In his mind's eye he could only see the girl that he had fallen so madly in love with all those years ago. It erased the outrageous outfit and the unkempt hair of the girl standing before him.

He wanted to go to her and just wrap his arms around her as if nothing had happened in the intervening years. Even if he was still thinking clearly enough to realize that she was not the one that he had known, this did not keep him from trying to reach the one he remembered.

"Maria?"

She frowned slightly, always keeping the seductive smile, as she approached him.

"I do not know who this Maria is, but really, why would you want another? I have so much to offer you."

He held his breath, as she leaned against him, caressing his chest purposefully.

"What is your name my sweet," she asked then.

"I thought that you said you were waiting for me? Shouldn't you know who I am?"

Undeterred, she slid her hand behind his neck, almost breaking his resolve as she tried to pull him toward her offered lips.

"I just wanted to be sure…" she whispered.

In her eyes, he thought that he could read uncertainty. Not about who he was, but rather about her own actions.

"Maria, please come with me, we will help you."

Her anger flared suddenly.

"My name is Phoebe, remember that!"

He flinched at the harshness in her voice. Yet this had been very fleeting, and soon she was caressing him again, her hand moving down to his loins, eliciting an involuntary groan out of him.

"See, I do not need saving, but you on the other hand, I know just what you need," she uttered hoarsely, even as her expert caresses reminded him how much he had denied himself over the years.

Steeling himself, he pulled her away from him, and she became angry again.

"What kind of a man are you?"

"I just want to help you Phoebe. If we do this, it will only encourage you on the wrong path. Please come back with me. Your sisters will help you too."

"I told you," she replied between clenched teeth, " that I did not need any help."

He held on to her while again trying to convince her.

"You have to let me help you. You cannot really believe that it is better to be evil. I know whom you are inside. I will not accept that you could have changed that much."

"I do not know who you think I am, but if you think that a few good words can repair the wrongs that I endured, you are sorely mistaken."

Even as she was saying this, she wondered why she felt the need to defend her position to him.

Anger invaded her again at this point, but also frustration.

"I do not know what he wants you for. He is crazy to think that you could be of any use to us."

Cole frowned questioningly:

"What are you talking about?"

It suddenly came to him that things might be even worse than he had imagined. He had been worried that Reinhart would go after her again, but was now wondering if he was the one she referred to. Could it be that instead of killing her, he was using her?

Phoebe was continuing for herself.

"I should have killed him. He is an idiot."

"Phoebe, who is he?" Cole insisted.

She looked strangely at him.

"Someone who told me that you watched me die, even as you pretended to love me, whatever that means."

"I did love you, I do still," he told her impulsively, the hurt infinite at the reminder of his failure. "I could not save you then, please let me save you now."

Deep down, a part of her felt bad for hurting him, even if she had no idea why this should be so hurtful. She rejected this feeling forcefully however, keeping only in mind that he had failed her somehow.

"I do not want to change. I feel good the way I am now."

"You cannot mean that."

"Yes I do. I have power now. No one is going to hurt me again."

In her voice, he could hear all the resentment that she felt. What could he say that would not sound insensitive, given how obviously hurt she was?

"I am so sorry, Phoebe. So sorry that I did not find you soon enough. I only wanted to protect you, and now you are suffering because of me. I never wanted that."

So, it was all true. This stranger, this man that she did not even know, had been the reason for her ordeal. She felt the hatred and pain surging again.

This time, it was directed at him.

"Why?" She asked suddenly. "Why did I have to suffer through this?"

In her eyes, he could see all the sorrow contained inside of her. Nevertheless, there was also the rage that it had caused.

"You have to believe me, Phoebe. I never meant for anything to happen to you."

She wanted to know what he was to the monster, that he would have hurt her so much because of him. However, screams coming from the hill nearby caught both their attentions. This just before a lightning bolt hit the ground between them…

By Christine Lemieux/ Justright