CHARMED
"REQUIEM FOR A WHITE LIGHTER"
by J. B. Tilton
email: aramath@isot.com
Rating: PG (for mild language)
PART 4: LOYALTIES
The Source has sent five demons to destroy the Charmed Ones.
And provided Leo with the means necessary to destroy them instantly.
Will the sisters be able to stop his plans and protect themselves? Or
will the one person sworn to help and protect them destroy the
greatest protectors of good the world has known?
* * *
ONE
"Prue, Phoebe, breakfast," called Piper from the kitchen.
Now that things seemed to have settled down for a bit, the girls
decided to try and return to some semblance of a normal life. They
knew that eventually they would have to confront Leo. But according
to the records regarding Promethians' it would probably be several
weeks before that happened.
Prue and Phoebe came bounding into the kitchen. Their night of
rest seemed to have refreshed them. Even Piper seemed to be in a
better mood, all things considering. Prue and Phoebe knew that the
situation with Leo was still weighing heavily on Piper, but she seemed
to be trying to deal with it. Just as they sat down at the table,
Jason orbed in.
"Hi, Jason," said Piper. "Care to join us for breakfast? I
made plenty."
"I'd love to," said Jason. "Leo often commented that you were a
good cook."
"Uh oh," said Phoebe, "here we go."
Jason just looked at Phoebe perplexed. Until Piper started
talking.
"I'm not a cook," she said, "I'm a chef. There's a difference.
A cook throws together meals in a jiffy. They make peanut butter and
jelly sandwiches, chips and dip, and boil water to dump in pre-
measured ingredients from a box. A cook uses little packets of pre-
processed spices to make mass produced, barely edible pre-cooked
artificial substances seem more like food and less like cardboard.
"On the other hand, a chef prepares culinary masterpieces from
scratch, using fresh ingredients and spices. A chef sculpts and molds
fresh ingredients into an extravaganza of delights that not only
tantalize the pallet but also entice the entire gambit of human
senses. A chef prepares a multitude of various dishes and cuisines
that makes a meal not just food but an experience to be savored and
relished."
"I stand corrected," said Jason.
"Don't take it too hard," said Prue. "Piper has always been
very serious about her chosen profession."
"I understand," said Jason, smiling. "In that case, Miss
Halliwell, I would be more than happy to partake of your culinary
masterpieces guaranteed to tantalize my entire gambit of senses. Even
if I'm not human."
Phoebe just giggled. To her, a meal was just a meal. She never
did understand Piper's near compulsion with preparing a simple meal.
Although she had to admit that Piper's meals were some of the best she
had ever tasted.
"Now," said Jason as they ate, "I don't know what's going on,
but something is up with the Elders. Andrew, the White Lighter you
met the other day? He's suddenly become unavailable. When I asked
about him, all they will tell me is that he's fine and he's on some
sort of special assignment."
"Is that normal?" asked Prue.
"Well, it's not unusual," said Jason. "By the way Piper, this
meal is excellent. I can see why Leo raves about your cooking the way
he does."
"Thanks," said Piper uncomfortably.
Jason immediately felt bad. He seemed to be mentioning Leo a
great deal. And he knew it must be extremely uncomfortable for Piper.
"Anyway," continued Jason, "it just seems strange that they
would assign him to a special assignment right now. The Elders all
say that none of them blame him for what happened to Gwen. I know
that none of the White Lighters do. There was nothing he could do.
He was attacked out of the blue with absolutely no warning."
"That's what we think, too," said Prue. "You said the birth of
this child was the first sign in a chain of events for some sort of
convergence. Do you have any idea what this convergence is?"
"No," said Jason. "The Elders don't seem to know what the
convergence is going to be or how long it will be before the
convergence takes place. Why do you ask?"
"Just curious," said Prue. "If we knew what this convergence
was it might help explain what type of assignment Andrew is on."
"All the Elders will say," said Jason, "is that it appears to be
a convergence for good. That's why they had to protect the mother
until she could give birth. The chain of events has begun. Evil lost
the first round."
"It just seems strange to me," said Prue. "That they would know
so much about this convergence without knowing what the convergence
is."
"I can't speak for the Elders," said Jason. "I do know they
would never deliberately do anything to put either a White Lighter or
one of their charges in danger."
Before anyone could say another word, they all heard a sound in
the living room. It sounded like glass breaking. Everyone just stared
at each other.
"Is there anyone else in the house right now?" asked Jason.
"Just Kit," said Phoebe, "our cat. But the last I saw her, she
was upstairs sleeping on my bed."
"Come on," said Prue. "Let's see who our uninvited guest is."
The four got up from the table and walked out of the kitchen.
As they passed through the hallway between the entryway and the
kitchen each prepared themselves for a fight. Jason brought up the
rear, knowing that in a fight, these three would be more effective
than he was.
They reached the living room and looked in. One of the
figurines Piper kept on the mantle over the fireplace lay shattered on
the floor. Standing next to the fireplace holding another of Piper's
figurines was a demon.
TWO
"I'm sorry," said the demon, smiling at the four. "It seems my
clumsiness has broken one of your beautiful statues." He looked at
the four, and then dropped the figurine he was holding, watching it as
shattered on the floor. "Oops. It seems my clumsiness has broken
another of these beautiful statues."
"Demon," said Prue, stepping into the living room, "you
obviously have no idea who you're dealing with."
"Oh, I know exactly who I'm dealing with, Charmed One," said the
demon.
Suddenly, another demon attacked Prue from the side. He tackled
her sending them both sprawling into the living room. Piper raised
her hands and the demon by the fireplace froze instantly. At the same
time, another demon moved from its' hiding place on the other side of
Prue and prepared to attack Prue.
Phoebe didn't hesitate. She jumped into the living room and
performed a roundhouse kick, sending the third demon flying back. It
was then that Jason noticed a fourth demon rise from behind the sofa.
Jason didn't wait. He raced into the living room and stepped up on
the arm of the sofa, launching himself into the demon.
Prue raised herself up onto her knees as the demon that had
attacked her gained his feet. He raised a clawed hand to strike her
with. Prue raised one hand and the demon went flying away from her,
the subject of her telekinetic ability.
Phoebe continued to attack the demon she was fighting. The
demon was relying on physical combat rather than using any of its'
abilities. Phoebe had several cuts, none of them serious. But the
demon had not escaped unscathed. It had a cut over one eye and blood
ran from one corner of its' mouth.
Piper turned and attacked demon Jason had attacked. Jason was a
White Lighter. He was not equipped to fight a demon. Piper's sudden
attack took the demon by surprise. Between the witch and the White
Lighter, it had its' hands full.
But the demon was fighting with all the ferocity in it's being.
After Piper struck it, the demon turned on her. It swung out with one
clawed hand striking Piper with the back of its' hand. Piper went
sailing toward the entryway, clamoring at the steps just inside the
living room.
Suddenly, Telk shimmered into the entryway. Leo orbed in
standing next to Telks' left. Leo held the obsidian dagger in his
right hand. Telk smiled.
"Now, Promethian," whispered Telk, "complete your mission.
Strike while the witch is distracted."
"As I told Malevant," said Leo, "I know what I have to do. I
need no prodding from you."
Leo took a step toward Piper. He raised the dagger. Neither
Piper nor any of the others had seen Leo or Telk appear in the
entryway. They were all engaged in their battles with the demons.
Jason struck out and turned to move away from the demon he was
fighting. As he turned, he saw Leo standing behind Piper with the
dagger raise.
Suddenly, Leo half turned and plunged the dagger into Telks'
chest. It was buried up to the hilt. Telk shrieked in agony, then
simply vaporized. Hearing the shriek, everyone turned to see Leo in
the entryway alone, the dagger still in his hand.
"Now, Promethian," cried out the demon fighting Prue, "strike.
Destroy forever the accursed Power of Three."
Leo stepped into the living room, past Piper. Without
hesitation, he raised the dagger again and plunged it into the demon
that Prue was fighting. As with Telk, the demon howled in pain, then
vaporized where it stood. Phoebe wasn't sure what was going on, but
she took advantage of the temporary lull in the battle. She grabbed a
poker from the fireplace and ran the demon she had been fighting
through the chest. The demon shrieked in pain, then was vanquished in
a flaming conflagration.
"Betrayer," hissed the demon Piper had frozen.
In all the commotion, no one had noticed that her freezing had
worn off. The demon stood facing the five, knowing that alone, it
stood no chance against them. Before anyone could move, the demon
shimmered and was gone.
Neither the sisters nor Jason understood completely what was
going on. But one thing seemed eminently clear. Not only had Leo
turned evil and become a Promethian, he had also decided to take over
the underworld. He was starting with the demons that he had been sent
with to destroy the Charmed Ones. Then, after destroying the sisters,
he would no doubt return to the underworld where the blade he held
would help him advance himself to the undisputed leader of the
underworld.
Leo turned and looked at Piper. Piper stood no more than three
feet from him. A tear fell from her eyes. Leo opened his mouth and
was about to speak when she spoke first.
"I'm sorry, Leo," was all she said.
Then, Piper recited the spell she had only the night before
committed to memory. The spell that would destroy the man she loved
forever.
"A White Lighter once, to darkness you've turned.
"And all of your charges, now you have spurned.
"The Elders betrayed, for evil you yearn,
"A Promethian you've become, in flames you will burn."
Flames erupted around Leo, engulfing him completely. Piper
turned away, tears flowing freely. She couldn't block out the sounds
of the flames, but she couldn't bring herself to watch the love of her
life consumed by them. With her back to Leo, she wept silently for
the life she had been imagining. A life that would never be.
THREE
Piper stood with her back to Leo. She could hear the flames
vanquishing him. Within seconds, she heard the flames extinguished
themselves. Piper couldn't bring herself to turn around. All that
would be left of Leo would be a scorched mark on the floor where the
flames had vanquished him. She continued to weep silently at the
death of the man she loved.
"Now that's something I wouldn't care to experience again any
time soon."
Piper spun around. Standing right where he had been only
moments before was Leo; completely unharmed. Piper reached into her
pocket and pulled the paper with the spell written on it out. She
quickly scanned the spell making sure she had recited it correctly.
She had recited it word for word as Prue had copied it from the page
of the Book of Shadows.
"Wait a minute," said Piper, wiping tears from her eyes. "I
cast the spell right. It should have vanquished you."
Suddenly, a man orbed into the entryway where Leo and Telk had
stood only moments before. He appeared to be near sixty and was
wearing a long white robe and white beard. His hair was as white as
his robe.
"Indeed you did," said the man, smiling. "And quite admirably,
too, I might add. You are also right when you say it should have
vanquished him. If it had the power to affect him, that is."
"What's going on?" demanded Phoebe.
"I'm not a Promethian," said Leo. "I never was. It was all a
ploy cooked up by the Elders."
"Okay, confusion here," said Phoebe. "Leo, we watched you turn.
The things you said, the things you did. You murdered a witch. Her
White Lighter saw you do it."
Suddenly, Andrew orbed in with a woman that appeared to be about
grams age when she had died. Andrew and the woman were smiling as
they orbed in.
"You mean me?" asked the woman. "As you can see, I'm quite
fine."
"Andrew, Gwen," said Jason. "Okay, I'm with Phoebe. I'm
totally confused. Sir," he said turning to the man in the white robe,
"I mean no disrespect. But none of this makes any sense. To either
the Charmed Ones or me. I would like to ask what's going on."
"Hang on," said Piper, still eyeing Leo suspiciously, but
addressing the man in the white robes. "Who are you? You orb in here
saying that Leo isn't a Promethian. Then we find out that the witch
Leo supposedly murdered isn't even harmed. Just who the hell are you,
anyway? Are you another White Lighter?"
"Piper," said Jason, his voice barely above a whisper, "he's one
of the Elders."
The sisters looked at the man in total surprise.
* * *
"I can understand your confusion," said the Elder as the group
sat around the living room. "We sincerely apologize for the elaborate
ruse that's been played out here the last few days. But we had no
choice."
"So Leo never turned evil?" asked Jason.
"No," said Leo. He had carefully laid the obsidian dagger on
the mantle over the fireplace. "About the same time that the Elders
contacted Andrew and Gwen, they talked to me to. They told me of the
child's birth and that they had also learned that the Source was
planning to kill the Jasmine before she could give birth. They said
they had to make sure that child was born no matter what the risk."
"What about Gwen?" asked Prue. "Andrew, you told us you watched
Leo strangle her to death."
"I thought I had," said Andrew. "Up until that point, I had no
more idea of what was going on than any of you. But as you can see,
Gwen was not harmed in the least."
"Quite simple, actually," said Gwen. "The Elders contacted me
and said that Leo was working on a special assignment for them. They
said that he would come to my home and pretend to kill me. They
didn't tell me why, only that it was necessary for Leo to prove he had
become a Promethian.
"When Leo placed his hands around my throat, he didn't squeeze.
All I had to do was pretend to struggle against him as if he were
strangling me. And I used a simple spell I had learned years ago. A
meditation spell.
"It's a spell that puts the recipient into a trance-like state that
helps to enhance meditation. It lowers the body's vital signs to a
state so low that it can often be mistaken for death. I had to trust
that Leo would make sure I was unharmed while I was in my trance."
"So Leo never killed anyone?" asked Piper.
"No," said the Elder. "I know this has been difficult for you.
But we couldn't let anyone know what was going on. You see, we knew
this convergence was one of the most convergences ever to take place.
It will be the destruction of the Source. We don't know when or how,
but we do know that if the chain of events is allowed to take place,
it will spell his demise.
"We also knew that the Source planned to kill the Jasmine. But
we didn't know when, where, or how he planned to do that. We had to
find out. So we decided to have Leo pretend to turn evil and seek him
out. As a Promethian, he would be in a perfect position to learn what
we needed to know."
"Why go through all this?" demanded Piper. "Why not just place
enough protection around Jasmine to protect her?"
"If we had done that," said the Elder, "the Source would have
just sent more demons to destroy her. This could have escalated out
of control very quickly. It could have ended in all out war between
the demons and the witches protecting the innocent. Many innocents
could have been harmed or killed. That was totally unacceptable."
"My job," said Leo, "was just to learn the extent of the
Source's plans. Then I was to orb out to the Elders and tell them
what I had learned. But I never got the chance to orb out. I was
being watched constantly. And the Source wasn't exactly forthcoming
with the information."
"Then we learned that Leo was supposed to murder Gwen," said the
Elder. "To leave Jasmine unprotected. So we arranged for Gwen to
pretend to be murdered. Proving to the Source that Leo had truly
become a Promethian."
"And what about that little thing with the dagger?" asked Piper.
"Was that part of the cover story, too? You almost killed me with
that thing."
"I missed you by a good two feet," said Leo. "I am sorry about
that, Piper. There was an opportunity for me to try to kill you. I
had to at least make it look like I was trying to kill you."
"So you missed on purpose?" asked Piper.
"Of course," said Leo. "You don't think I'd really try to kill
you, do you?"
"No, I guess not," said Piper. "But it seemed so real at the
time."
"Okay," said Phoebe. "I guess I can understand all that. In a
way, it kind of makes sense. But why didn't Leo simply orb out once
everyone thought Gwen was dead and he had the information you needed?"
"Again, I couldn't," said Leo. "The Source was watching me like
a hawk, even after he was convinced I was a Promethian. Then he
decided to send me with the demons to kill Jasmine."
"When we learned that," said the Elder, "we decided to have a
Andrew standing by. When the demons attacked, he was supposed to orb
in, grab Jasmine and Leo, and orb out. That would protect the
innocent and get Leo away from the demons without suspicion. They
would still believe he was a Promethian but that we had captured him.
Otherwise they would have sent a Dark Lighter to kill him the next
time he came to Earth."
"But you three messed that up quite nicely," said Andrew. "When
you replaced Jasmine, and took her place, that kind of put the kybosh
on our plans. I couldn't very well orb in during your combat with the
demons."
"Sorry," said Prue. "We had no idea. But if someone had told
us what was going on, maybe we wouldn't have messed things up."
"We couldn't," said the Elder. "There was far too much at
stake. And I'm afraid we had to ask Leo to remain in the underworld a
bit longer."
"Why?" asked Piper. "The innocent was safe. What could have
possibly been so important that you would continue to risk his life?"
Leo stood up and walked over to the mantle. He carefully picked
up the obsidian dagger and walked back over to the sofa. Then he
gingerly laid the dagger on the coffee table.
"For this," said Leo. "Probably one of the most dangerous
weapons in the world."
FOUR
"What's so important about it?" asked Phoebe, reaching to pick
up the dagger.
"Phoebe, don't," said Leo, grabbing her wrist before she could
touch the dagger. "You have no idea just how dangerous that dagger
is."
"Have a cow, why don't you?" asked Phoebe.
"Forgive him," said the Elder. "He is only concerned with your
welfare. And your life."
"My life?" questioned Phoebe.
"Is that what I think it is?" asked Jason.
"Yes," said Leo. "An obsidian blade. When the Elders
discovered that the Source had it, they decided they had to get it
back. And I agreed with them. This blade is much too dangerous to
remain in the hands of the Source or any demon."
"What's so dangerous about it?" asked Piper.
"It's a very old weapon," said the Elder. "The magical
enchantments on it make it lethal to any creature that it draws blood
on. I'm sure you remember what happened to the demons that Leo used
it on."
"Yeah," said Prue. "They just sort of vaporized."
"They were vanquished," said Jason. "That's the power of the
obsidian blade. Even a White Lighter can be killed by it. Or an
Elder."
"Exactly," said the Elder. "Centuries ago we believed it had
been lost or destroyed. When we got word that the Source had it, we
knew we had to get it back. To protect the forces of good
everywhere."
"Okay hang on a sec," said Prue. "You keep saying 'when you
learned'. How are you learning all this information?"
"I can't say very much," said the Elder. "But we have what you
might call a cover operative in the underworld. Very high up in the
hierarchy. Whenever this operative is able, they pass on information
to us. This operative couldn't pass on the information about the
attack on Jasmine without revealing their identity. That's why we had
to use Leo. Besides, we also learned something else. We now know why
White Lighters occasionally turn evil. And we can take precautions to
prevent it in the future."
"Leo Wyatt," said Piper, "if you ever put me through anything
like this again, I swear I'll write a special vanquishing spell just
for you and vanquish you for real."
She turned to the Elder.
"And you," she said. "What right do you have to play with
people's lives like this? Do you have any idea the hell you've put my
sisters and me through? We were ready to vanquish Leo."
"I do apologize for that," said the Elder. "But we had to
convince the Source that Leo had really turned. What would you have
done if you had known Leo wasn't really a Promethian? Would you have
gone after him as hard as you did to stop him?"
"I don't know," said Piper.
"Piper," said Leo, "I agreed with the Elders on this one. The
Source had to be convinced I had turned. That meant that you had to
be convincing. And to be honest, neither you nor your sisters are
that good of actresses. You would probably have not hesitated to use
the vanquishing spell on me if you knew it couldn't hurt me."
"He's right," said Phoebe. "I know I wouldn't have worried
about it if I had known it couldn't hurt him."
"But you never even gave us that chance," said Piper. "You
should have trusted us. You expect us to trust you often without any
explanation whatsoever. Then you treat us like children who can't
even make an intelligent decision."
"Piper, please," said Jason. "He's an Elder. You can't just
speak to him like that."
"No, it's okay, Jason," said the Elder. "Perhaps she's right.
They are so new at their powers that we may not have given them the
respect they deserve. It seems we owe you yet another apology."
"Just don't ever do anything like this ever again," said Piper.
"I can assure you," said the Elder, "that it is extremely
unlikely that any similar situation will arise in the future."
"Well, if it does," said Prue, "then you let us know what's
going on from the get go."
"I'm not exactly sure what that means," said the Elder, "but if
it means that you should be told everything from the beginning, we
will. I give you my word." He reached down and carefully picked up
the obsidian blade. "Now, I need to put this where it can never again
do anyone any harm. I only hope it is the only one left."
"Wait," said Prue. "You're operative in the underworld. I hope
our interference in your plans hasn't compromised him any."
"Don't concern yourself with that," said the Elder smiling.
"Our operative was able to divert any suspicion away from themselves
to one of the demons. If anyone suspects there was a leak, as you
would say, some unsuspecting demon will find themselves the unlucky
recipient of their masters' wrath.
"Oh, one other thing before I leave. You'll be happy to know that Leo
has been reinstated as your permanent White Lighter. In reality, he
never stopped being your White Lighter. I hope that will help to make
up in some small way for what we were forced to put you through."
The Elder stood up then just orbed away, obsidian blade in hand.
"We should be going, too," said Andrew. "Gwen has been staying
up there with the Elders so that the demons wouldn't get wind that she
was still alive. She'd like to see Jasmines' baby."
"Yes," said Gwen. "Jasmine was my charge for only a short time
but in that time we became very good friends. Perhaps we can visit
sometime soon. I would love to learn about what the Charmed Ones have
been up to since you got your powers."
"Stop by any time," said Piper, her arms around Leo. "Only this
time, leave the trance-inducing spells at home. I'd like our visit to
be a social one, not a business one."
"I promise," said Gwen, laughing.
"Leo," said Andrew, "you'll never know how glad it makes me that
you didn't turn."
"Sorry we couldn't tell you before," said Leo. "Tell you what.
When things have settled down a bit, let's get together and talk.
Like we used to. It's been a while."
"Count on it," said Andrew.
Andrew and Gwen orbed out of the manor.
"I guess that's my cue," said Jason. "Ladies, I would have
loved to have been your White Lighter. But I'm much happier that you
have your original White Lighter back. But if you should ever decide
you want a change . . ."
"Get out of here," said Leo, laughing. "I'm sure the Elders
have something important for you to do."
"Only don't be a stranger," said Phoebe. "You can visit
whenever you want."
"Thanks," said Jason. "I'll keep that in mind."
Jason orbed away from the manor.
"Down girl," said Prue to Phoebe. "One Charmed One involved
with a White Lighter is more than enough. Especially considering what
the Elders have a tendency to put us through."
"I like him," said Phoebe. "He's nice. Besides, I'm sure he
has a girlfriend somewhere. I just thought it would be nice to have
him stop by once in a while so we could talk."
"Speaking of talking, Leo Wyatt," said Piper, pulling Leo up
from the sofa, "I think you and I need to go upstairs and have a nice
long chat ourselves. About keeping secrets and volunteering for
dangerous plans and making me think I had vanquished you."
"Go take your medicine, Leo," said Prue. "After all this, I
think Piper has earned the right to vent for a while."
Leo and Piper went upstairs while Prue and Piper remained in the
living room.
EPILOGUE
Malevant strode into the Source's chambers, barely noticing the
guards stationed outside. Melnar was in the chambers explaining the
failure of the demons to the Source. And why four demons had been
vanquished in a single battle.
"Malevant," said Melnar, as the demon strode into the chamber,
"it wasn't our fault. That accursed White Lighter tricked all of us.
He never turned."
"I know," said Malevant.
Without another word, Malevant reached out and cast a fireball
at Melnar. He stood and watched as the underling was totally consumed
by the attack, dying in a conflagration as one of his brothers had
only moments before. The attack was so ferocious that even the Source
was startled by it. The two just watched as the flames extinguished
themselves, leaving only a scorched mark on the floor where Melnar had
stood only moments before.
"Really, Malevant, you must learn to control your temper," said
the Source. "Your habit of vanquishing underlings because they simply
displease you can get quite tiresome."
"That was not the reason," said Malevant, anger flashing from
his eyes. "I vanquished him because he betrayed us."
"How?" asked the Source. "I was under the impression that
Melnar was always one of your more loyal underlings."
"As was I," said Malevant. "But he supposedly witnessed the
White Lighter killing the witch. And reported that she was dead. He
even claimed to have checked her body to make sure."
"I don't understand," said the Source.
"The witch still lives," said Malevant. "Which means the White
Lighter could not have killed her. And Melnar lied when he claimed to
have witnessed her death."
"Perhaps he was only afraid of your wrath," said the Source.
"And, apparently, with good reason."
"There's more," said Malevant. "The Charmed Ones were waiting
for the demons when they went after the woman. And Melnar was the
only one to return from the battle with the Charmed Ones. How could
they have known we were going after her? And how is it possible that
four demons were vanquished leaving him without even a scratch?"
"Very good questions," said the Source.
"Because he was in league with them," said Malevant. "He was
aware of our plans from the start. And he was funneling that
information to them all along. It is the only explanation for how
they could have known we were going after the woman."
"Very astute," said the Source. "You were right to destroy him,
of course. But the damage is already done. The child is born. And
more importantly, the obsidian blade is now in the hands of the
Elders. That could be a greater threat to me than the child."
"I wouldn't worry about that," said Malevant. "Those pathetic
Elders will never allow that blade to be used. They are too cautious,
too careful. They will lock the blade away where no one can get to
it. To keep it from falling into the wrong hands."
"You're right, of course," said the Source. "But what would you
suggest we do now? We have lost many good underlings in this ordeal.
And the Charmed Ones still live."
"We should bide our time," said Malevant. "We cannot afford
another fiasco such as happened today. We will get another chance.
And soon, I'm sure. When we do, we must be ready to seize that
opportunity. To rid ourselves of the accursed Charmed Ones."
"I agree," said the Source. "And when the opportunity does
present itself, we shall finally be rid of them. Portent or no
portent. I'll not be destroyed by the likes of those three witches."
Malevant bowed slightly, then turned and left the chamber. He
had done what he had come to do. Punish a traitor for betraying them.
News of that punishment would spread quickly in the underworld. It
would be a long time before another demon thought to betray either him
or the Source. The fear that punishment would instill would remain
fresh in every demon's mind for a long time to come.
The End
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction.
"REQUIEM FOR A WHITE LIGHTER"
by J. B. Tilton
email: aramath@isot.com
Rating: PG (for mild language)
PART 4: LOYALTIES
The Source has sent five demons to destroy the Charmed Ones.
And provided Leo with the means necessary to destroy them instantly.
Will the sisters be able to stop his plans and protect themselves? Or
will the one person sworn to help and protect them destroy the
greatest protectors of good the world has known?
* * *
ONE
"Prue, Phoebe, breakfast," called Piper from the kitchen.
Now that things seemed to have settled down for a bit, the girls
decided to try and return to some semblance of a normal life. They
knew that eventually they would have to confront Leo. But according
to the records regarding Promethians' it would probably be several
weeks before that happened.
Prue and Phoebe came bounding into the kitchen. Their night of
rest seemed to have refreshed them. Even Piper seemed to be in a
better mood, all things considering. Prue and Phoebe knew that the
situation with Leo was still weighing heavily on Piper, but she seemed
to be trying to deal with it. Just as they sat down at the table,
Jason orbed in.
"Hi, Jason," said Piper. "Care to join us for breakfast? I
made plenty."
"I'd love to," said Jason. "Leo often commented that you were a
good cook."
"Uh oh," said Phoebe, "here we go."
Jason just looked at Phoebe perplexed. Until Piper started
talking.
"I'm not a cook," she said, "I'm a chef. There's a difference.
A cook throws together meals in a jiffy. They make peanut butter and
jelly sandwiches, chips and dip, and boil water to dump in pre-
measured ingredients from a box. A cook uses little packets of pre-
processed spices to make mass produced, barely edible pre-cooked
artificial substances seem more like food and less like cardboard.
"On the other hand, a chef prepares culinary masterpieces from
scratch, using fresh ingredients and spices. A chef sculpts and molds
fresh ingredients into an extravaganza of delights that not only
tantalize the pallet but also entice the entire gambit of human
senses. A chef prepares a multitude of various dishes and cuisines
that makes a meal not just food but an experience to be savored and
relished."
"I stand corrected," said Jason.
"Don't take it too hard," said Prue. "Piper has always been
very serious about her chosen profession."
"I understand," said Jason, smiling. "In that case, Miss
Halliwell, I would be more than happy to partake of your culinary
masterpieces guaranteed to tantalize my entire gambit of senses. Even
if I'm not human."
Phoebe just giggled. To her, a meal was just a meal. She never
did understand Piper's near compulsion with preparing a simple meal.
Although she had to admit that Piper's meals were some of the best she
had ever tasted.
"Now," said Jason as they ate, "I don't know what's going on,
but something is up with the Elders. Andrew, the White Lighter you
met the other day? He's suddenly become unavailable. When I asked
about him, all they will tell me is that he's fine and he's on some
sort of special assignment."
"Is that normal?" asked Prue.
"Well, it's not unusual," said Jason. "By the way Piper, this
meal is excellent. I can see why Leo raves about your cooking the way
he does."
"Thanks," said Piper uncomfortably.
Jason immediately felt bad. He seemed to be mentioning Leo a
great deal. And he knew it must be extremely uncomfortable for Piper.
"Anyway," continued Jason, "it just seems strange that they
would assign him to a special assignment right now. The Elders all
say that none of them blame him for what happened to Gwen. I know
that none of the White Lighters do. There was nothing he could do.
He was attacked out of the blue with absolutely no warning."
"That's what we think, too," said Prue. "You said the birth of
this child was the first sign in a chain of events for some sort of
convergence. Do you have any idea what this convergence is?"
"No," said Jason. "The Elders don't seem to know what the
convergence is going to be or how long it will be before the
convergence takes place. Why do you ask?"
"Just curious," said Prue. "If we knew what this convergence
was it might help explain what type of assignment Andrew is on."
"All the Elders will say," said Jason, "is that it appears to be
a convergence for good. That's why they had to protect the mother
until she could give birth. The chain of events has begun. Evil lost
the first round."
"It just seems strange to me," said Prue. "That they would know
so much about this convergence without knowing what the convergence
is."
"I can't speak for the Elders," said Jason. "I do know they
would never deliberately do anything to put either a White Lighter or
one of their charges in danger."
Before anyone could say another word, they all heard a sound in
the living room. It sounded like glass breaking. Everyone just stared
at each other.
"Is there anyone else in the house right now?" asked Jason.
"Just Kit," said Phoebe, "our cat. But the last I saw her, she
was upstairs sleeping on my bed."
"Come on," said Prue. "Let's see who our uninvited guest is."
The four got up from the table and walked out of the kitchen.
As they passed through the hallway between the entryway and the
kitchen each prepared themselves for a fight. Jason brought up the
rear, knowing that in a fight, these three would be more effective
than he was.
They reached the living room and looked in. One of the
figurines Piper kept on the mantle over the fireplace lay shattered on
the floor. Standing next to the fireplace holding another of Piper's
figurines was a demon.
TWO
"I'm sorry," said the demon, smiling at the four. "It seems my
clumsiness has broken one of your beautiful statues." He looked at
the four, and then dropped the figurine he was holding, watching it as
shattered on the floor. "Oops. It seems my clumsiness has broken
another of these beautiful statues."
"Demon," said Prue, stepping into the living room, "you
obviously have no idea who you're dealing with."
"Oh, I know exactly who I'm dealing with, Charmed One," said the
demon.
Suddenly, another demon attacked Prue from the side. He tackled
her sending them both sprawling into the living room. Piper raised
her hands and the demon by the fireplace froze instantly. At the same
time, another demon moved from its' hiding place on the other side of
Prue and prepared to attack Prue.
Phoebe didn't hesitate. She jumped into the living room and
performed a roundhouse kick, sending the third demon flying back. It
was then that Jason noticed a fourth demon rise from behind the sofa.
Jason didn't wait. He raced into the living room and stepped up on
the arm of the sofa, launching himself into the demon.
Prue raised herself up onto her knees as the demon that had
attacked her gained his feet. He raised a clawed hand to strike her
with. Prue raised one hand and the demon went flying away from her,
the subject of her telekinetic ability.
Phoebe continued to attack the demon she was fighting. The
demon was relying on physical combat rather than using any of its'
abilities. Phoebe had several cuts, none of them serious. But the
demon had not escaped unscathed. It had a cut over one eye and blood
ran from one corner of its' mouth.
Piper turned and attacked demon Jason had attacked. Jason was a
White Lighter. He was not equipped to fight a demon. Piper's sudden
attack took the demon by surprise. Between the witch and the White
Lighter, it had its' hands full.
But the demon was fighting with all the ferocity in it's being.
After Piper struck it, the demon turned on her. It swung out with one
clawed hand striking Piper with the back of its' hand. Piper went
sailing toward the entryway, clamoring at the steps just inside the
living room.
Suddenly, Telk shimmered into the entryway. Leo orbed in
standing next to Telks' left. Leo held the obsidian dagger in his
right hand. Telk smiled.
"Now, Promethian," whispered Telk, "complete your mission.
Strike while the witch is distracted."
"As I told Malevant," said Leo, "I know what I have to do. I
need no prodding from you."
Leo took a step toward Piper. He raised the dagger. Neither
Piper nor any of the others had seen Leo or Telk appear in the
entryway. They were all engaged in their battles with the demons.
Jason struck out and turned to move away from the demon he was
fighting. As he turned, he saw Leo standing behind Piper with the
dagger raise.
Suddenly, Leo half turned and plunged the dagger into Telks'
chest. It was buried up to the hilt. Telk shrieked in agony, then
simply vaporized. Hearing the shriek, everyone turned to see Leo in
the entryway alone, the dagger still in his hand.
"Now, Promethian," cried out the demon fighting Prue, "strike.
Destroy forever the accursed Power of Three."
Leo stepped into the living room, past Piper. Without
hesitation, he raised the dagger again and plunged it into the demon
that Prue was fighting. As with Telk, the demon howled in pain, then
vaporized where it stood. Phoebe wasn't sure what was going on, but
she took advantage of the temporary lull in the battle. She grabbed a
poker from the fireplace and ran the demon she had been fighting
through the chest. The demon shrieked in pain, then was vanquished in
a flaming conflagration.
"Betrayer," hissed the demon Piper had frozen.
In all the commotion, no one had noticed that her freezing had
worn off. The demon stood facing the five, knowing that alone, it
stood no chance against them. Before anyone could move, the demon
shimmered and was gone.
Neither the sisters nor Jason understood completely what was
going on. But one thing seemed eminently clear. Not only had Leo
turned evil and become a Promethian, he had also decided to take over
the underworld. He was starting with the demons that he had been sent
with to destroy the Charmed Ones. Then, after destroying the sisters,
he would no doubt return to the underworld where the blade he held
would help him advance himself to the undisputed leader of the
underworld.
Leo turned and looked at Piper. Piper stood no more than three
feet from him. A tear fell from her eyes. Leo opened his mouth and
was about to speak when she spoke first.
"I'm sorry, Leo," was all she said.
Then, Piper recited the spell she had only the night before
committed to memory. The spell that would destroy the man she loved
forever.
"A White Lighter once, to darkness you've turned.
"And all of your charges, now you have spurned.
"The Elders betrayed, for evil you yearn,
"A Promethian you've become, in flames you will burn."
Flames erupted around Leo, engulfing him completely. Piper
turned away, tears flowing freely. She couldn't block out the sounds
of the flames, but she couldn't bring herself to watch the love of her
life consumed by them. With her back to Leo, she wept silently for
the life she had been imagining. A life that would never be.
THREE
Piper stood with her back to Leo. She could hear the flames
vanquishing him. Within seconds, she heard the flames extinguished
themselves. Piper couldn't bring herself to turn around. All that
would be left of Leo would be a scorched mark on the floor where the
flames had vanquished him. She continued to weep silently at the
death of the man she loved.
"Now that's something I wouldn't care to experience again any
time soon."
Piper spun around. Standing right where he had been only
moments before was Leo; completely unharmed. Piper reached into her
pocket and pulled the paper with the spell written on it out. She
quickly scanned the spell making sure she had recited it correctly.
She had recited it word for word as Prue had copied it from the page
of the Book of Shadows.
"Wait a minute," said Piper, wiping tears from her eyes. "I
cast the spell right. It should have vanquished you."
Suddenly, a man orbed into the entryway where Leo and Telk had
stood only moments before. He appeared to be near sixty and was
wearing a long white robe and white beard. His hair was as white as
his robe.
"Indeed you did," said the man, smiling. "And quite admirably,
too, I might add. You are also right when you say it should have
vanquished him. If it had the power to affect him, that is."
"What's going on?" demanded Phoebe.
"I'm not a Promethian," said Leo. "I never was. It was all a
ploy cooked up by the Elders."
"Okay, confusion here," said Phoebe. "Leo, we watched you turn.
The things you said, the things you did. You murdered a witch. Her
White Lighter saw you do it."
Suddenly, Andrew orbed in with a woman that appeared to be about
grams age when she had died. Andrew and the woman were smiling as
they orbed in.
"You mean me?" asked the woman. "As you can see, I'm quite
fine."
"Andrew, Gwen," said Jason. "Okay, I'm with Phoebe. I'm
totally confused. Sir," he said turning to the man in the white robe,
"I mean no disrespect. But none of this makes any sense. To either
the Charmed Ones or me. I would like to ask what's going on."
"Hang on," said Piper, still eyeing Leo suspiciously, but
addressing the man in the white robes. "Who are you? You orb in here
saying that Leo isn't a Promethian. Then we find out that the witch
Leo supposedly murdered isn't even harmed. Just who the hell are you,
anyway? Are you another White Lighter?"
"Piper," said Jason, his voice barely above a whisper, "he's one
of the Elders."
The sisters looked at the man in total surprise.
* * *
"I can understand your confusion," said the Elder as the group
sat around the living room. "We sincerely apologize for the elaborate
ruse that's been played out here the last few days. But we had no
choice."
"So Leo never turned evil?" asked Jason.
"No," said Leo. He had carefully laid the obsidian dagger on
the mantle over the fireplace. "About the same time that the Elders
contacted Andrew and Gwen, they talked to me to. They told me of the
child's birth and that they had also learned that the Source was
planning to kill the Jasmine before she could give birth. They said
they had to make sure that child was born no matter what the risk."
"What about Gwen?" asked Prue. "Andrew, you told us you watched
Leo strangle her to death."
"I thought I had," said Andrew. "Up until that point, I had no
more idea of what was going on than any of you. But as you can see,
Gwen was not harmed in the least."
"Quite simple, actually," said Gwen. "The Elders contacted me
and said that Leo was working on a special assignment for them. They
said that he would come to my home and pretend to kill me. They
didn't tell me why, only that it was necessary for Leo to prove he had
become a Promethian.
"When Leo placed his hands around my throat, he didn't squeeze.
All I had to do was pretend to struggle against him as if he were
strangling me. And I used a simple spell I had learned years ago. A
meditation spell.
"It's a spell that puts the recipient into a trance-like state that
helps to enhance meditation. It lowers the body's vital signs to a
state so low that it can often be mistaken for death. I had to trust
that Leo would make sure I was unharmed while I was in my trance."
"So Leo never killed anyone?" asked Piper.
"No," said the Elder. "I know this has been difficult for you.
But we couldn't let anyone know what was going on. You see, we knew
this convergence was one of the most convergences ever to take place.
It will be the destruction of the Source. We don't know when or how,
but we do know that if the chain of events is allowed to take place,
it will spell his demise.
"We also knew that the Source planned to kill the Jasmine. But
we didn't know when, where, or how he planned to do that. We had to
find out. So we decided to have Leo pretend to turn evil and seek him
out. As a Promethian, he would be in a perfect position to learn what
we needed to know."
"Why go through all this?" demanded Piper. "Why not just place
enough protection around Jasmine to protect her?"
"If we had done that," said the Elder, "the Source would have
just sent more demons to destroy her. This could have escalated out
of control very quickly. It could have ended in all out war between
the demons and the witches protecting the innocent. Many innocents
could have been harmed or killed. That was totally unacceptable."
"My job," said Leo, "was just to learn the extent of the
Source's plans. Then I was to orb out to the Elders and tell them
what I had learned. But I never got the chance to orb out. I was
being watched constantly. And the Source wasn't exactly forthcoming
with the information."
"Then we learned that Leo was supposed to murder Gwen," said the
Elder. "To leave Jasmine unprotected. So we arranged for Gwen to
pretend to be murdered. Proving to the Source that Leo had truly
become a Promethian."
"And what about that little thing with the dagger?" asked Piper.
"Was that part of the cover story, too? You almost killed me with
that thing."
"I missed you by a good two feet," said Leo. "I am sorry about
that, Piper. There was an opportunity for me to try to kill you. I
had to at least make it look like I was trying to kill you."
"So you missed on purpose?" asked Piper.
"Of course," said Leo. "You don't think I'd really try to kill
you, do you?"
"No, I guess not," said Piper. "But it seemed so real at the
time."
"Okay," said Phoebe. "I guess I can understand all that. In a
way, it kind of makes sense. But why didn't Leo simply orb out once
everyone thought Gwen was dead and he had the information you needed?"
"Again, I couldn't," said Leo. "The Source was watching me like
a hawk, even after he was convinced I was a Promethian. Then he
decided to send me with the demons to kill Jasmine."
"When we learned that," said the Elder, "we decided to have a
Andrew standing by. When the demons attacked, he was supposed to orb
in, grab Jasmine and Leo, and orb out. That would protect the
innocent and get Leo away from the demons without suspicion. They
would still believe he was a Promethian but that we had captured him.
Otherwise they would have sent a Dark Lighter to kill him the next
time he came to Earth."
"But you three messed that up quite nicely," said Andrew. "When
you replaced Jasmine, and took her place, that kind of put the kybosh
on our plans. I couldn't very well orb in during your combat with the
demons."
"Sorry," said Prue. "We had no idea. But if someone had told
us what was going on, maybe we wouldn't have messed things up."
"We couldn't," said the Elder. "There was far too much at
stake. And I'm afraid we had to ask Leo to remain in the underworld a
bit longer."
"Why?" asked Piper. "The innocent was safe. What could have
possibly been so important that you would continue to risk his life?"
Leo stood up and walked over to the mantle. He carefully picked
up the obsidian dagger and walked back over to the sofa. Then he
gingerly laid the dagger on the coffee table.
"For this," said Leo. "Probably one of the most dangerous
weapons in the world."
FOUR
"What's so important about it?" asked Phoebe, reaching to pick
up the dagger.
"Phoebe, don't," said Leo, grabbing her wrist before she could
touch the dagger. "You have no idea just how dangerous that dagger
is."
"Have a cow, why don't you?" asked Phoebe.
"Forgive him," said the Elder. "He is only concerned with your
welfare. And your life."
"My life?" questioned Phoebe.
"Is that what I think it is?" asked Jason.
"Yes," said Leo. "An obsidian blade. When the Elders
discovered that the Source had it, they decided they had to get it
back. And I agreed with them. This blade is much too dangerous to
remain in the hands of the Source or any demon."
"What's so dangerous about it?" asked Piper.
"It's a very old weapon," said the Elder. "The magical
enchantments on it make it lethal to any creature that it draws blood
on. I'm sure you remember what happened to the demons that Leo used
it on."
"Yeah," said Prue. "They just sort of vaporized."
"They were vanquished," said Jason. "That's the power of the
obsidian blade. Even a White Lighter can be killed by it. Or an
Elder."
"Exactly," said the Elder. "Centuries ago we believed it had
been lost or destroyed. When we got word that the Source had it, we
knew we had to get it back. To protect the forces of good
everywhere."
"Okay hang on a sec," said Prue. "You keep saying 'when you
learned'. How are you learning all this information?"
"I can't say very much," said the Elder. "But we have what you
might call a cover operative in the underworld. Very high up in the
hierarchy. Whenever this operative is able, they pass on information
to us. This operative couldn't pass on the information about the
attack on Jasmine without revealing their identity. That's why we had
to use Leo. Besides, we also learned something else. We now know why
White Lighters occasionally turn evil. And we can take precautions to
prevent it in the future."
"Leo Wyatt," said Piper, "if you ever put me through anything
like this again, I swear I'll write a special vanquishing spell just
for you and vanquish you for real."
She turned to the Elder.
"And you," she said. "What right do you have to play with
people's lives like this? Do you have any idea the hell you've put my
sisters and me through? We were ready to vanquish Leo."
"I do apologize for that," said the Elder. "But we had to
convince the Source that Leo had really turned. What would you have
done if you had known Leo wasn't really a Promethian? Would you have
gone after him as hard as you did to stop him?"
"I don't know," said Piper.
"Piper," said Leo, "I agreed with the Elders on this one. The
Source had to be convinced I had turned. That meant that you had to
be convincing. And to be honest, neither you nor your sisters are
that good of actresses. You would probably have not hesitated to use
the vanquishing spell on me if you knew it couldn't hurt me."
"He's right," said Phoebe. "I know I wouldn't have worried
about it if I had known it couldn't hurt him."
"But you never even gave us that chance," said Piper. "You
should have trusted us. You expect us to trust you often without any
explanation whatsoever. Then you treat us like children who can't
even make an intelligent decision."
"Piper, please," said Jason. "He's an Elder. You can't just
speak to him like that."
"No, it's okay, Jason," said the Elder. "Perhaps she's right.
They are so new at their powers that we may not have given them the
respect they deserve. It seems we owe you yet another apology."
"Just don't ever do anything like this ever again," said Piper.
"I can assure you," said the Elder, "that it is extremely
unlikely that any similar situation will arise in the future."
"Well, if it does," said Prue, "then you let us know what's
going on from the get go."
"I'm not exactly sure what that means," said the Elder, "but if
it means that you should be told everything from the beginning, we
will. I give you my word." He reached down and carefully picked up
the obsidian blade. "Now, I need to put this where it can never again
do anyone any harm. I only hope it is the only one left."
"Wait," said Prue. "You're operative in the underworld. I hope
our interference in your plans hasn't compromised him any."
"Don't concern yourself with that," said the Elder smiling.
"Our operative was able to divert any suspicion away from themselves
to one of the demons. If anyone suspects there was a leak, as you
would say, some unsuspecting demon will find themselves the unlucky
recipient of their masters' wrath.
"Oh, one other thing before I leave. You'll be happy to know that Leo
has been reinstated as your permanent White Lighter. In reality, he
never stopped being your White Lighter. I hope that will help to make
up in some small way for what we were forced to put you through."
The Elder stood up then just orbed away, obsidian blade in hand.
"We should be going, too," said Andrew. "Gwen has been staying
up there with the Elders so that the demons wouldn't get wind that she
was still alive. She'd like to see Jasmines' baby."
"Yes," said Gwen. "Jasmine was my charge for only a short time
but in that time we became very good friends. Perhaps we can visit
sometime soon. I would love to learn about what the Charmed Ones have
been up to since you got your powers."
"Stop by any time," said Piper, her arms around Leo. "Only this
time, leave the trance-inducing spells at home. I'd like our visit to
be a social one, not a business one."
"I promise," said Gwen, laughing.
"Leo," said Andrew, "you'll never know how glad it makes me that
you didn't turn."
"Sorry we couldn't tell you before," said Leo. "Tell you what.
When things have settled down a bit, let's get together and talk.
Like we used to. It's been a while."
"Count on it," said Andrew.
Andrew and Gwen orbed out of the manor.
"I guess that's my cue," said Jason. "Ladies, I would have
loved to have been your White Lighter. But I'm much happier that you
have your original White Lighter back. But if you should ever decide
you want a change . . ."
"Get out of here," said Leo, laughing. "I'm sure the Elders
have something important for you to do."
"Only don't be a stranger," said Phoebe. "You can visit
whenever you want."
"Thanks," said Jason. "I'll keep that in mind."
Jason orbed away from the manor.
"Down girl," said Prue to Phoebe. "One Charmed One involved
with a White Lighter is more than enough. Especially considering what
the Elders have a tendency to put us through."
"I like him," said Phoebe. "He's nice. Besides, I'm sure he
has a girlfriend somewhere. I just thought it would be nice to have
him stop by once in a while so we could talk."
"Speaking of talking, Leo Wyatt," said Piper, pulling Leo up
from the sofa, "I think you and I need to go upstairs and have a nice
long chat ourselves. About keeping secrets and volunteering for
dangerous plans and making me think I had vanquished you."
"Go take your medicine, Leo," said Prue. "After all this, I
think Piper has earned the right to vent for a while."
Leo and Piper went upstairs while Prue and Piper remained in the
living room.
EPILOGUE
Malevant strode into the Source's chambers, barely noticing the
guards stationed outside. Melnar was in the chambers explaining the
failure of the demons to the Source. And why four demons had been
vanquished in a single battle.
"Malevant," said Melnar, as the demon strode into the chamber,
"it wasn't our fault. That accursed White Lighter tricked all of us.
He never turned."
"I know," said Malevant.
Without another word, Malevant reached out and cast a fireball
at Melnar. He stood and watched as the underling was totally consumed
by the attack, dying in a conflagration as one of his brothers had
only moments before. The attack was so ferocious that even the Source
was startled by it. The two just watched as the flames extinguished
themselves, leaving only a scorched mark on the floor where Melnar had
stood only moments before.
"Really, Malevant, you must learn to control your temper," said
the Source. "Your habit of vanquishing underlings because they simply
displease you can get quite tiresome."
"That was not the reason," said Malevant, anger flashing from
his eyes. "I vanquished him because he betrayed us."
"How?" asked the Source. "I was under the impression that
Melnar was always one of your more loyal underlings."
"As was I," said Malevant. "But he supposedly witnessed the
White Lighter killing the witch. And reported that she was dead. He
even claimed to have checked her body to make sure."
"I don't understand," said the Source.
"The witch still lives," said Malevant. "Which means the White
Lighter could not have killed her. And Melnar lied when he claimed to
have witnessed her death."
"Perhaps he was only afraid of your wrath," said the Source.
"And, apparently, with good reason."
"There's more," said Malevant. "The Charmed Ones were waiting
for the demons when they went after the woman. And Melnar was the
only one to return from the battle with the Charmed Ones. How could
they have known we were going after her? And how is it possible that
four demons were vanquished leaving him without even a scratch?"
"Very good questions," said the Source.
"Because he was in league with them," said Malevant. "He was
aware of our plans from the start. And he was funneling that
information to them all along. It is the only explanation for how
they could have known we were going after the woman."
"Very astute," said the Source. "You were right to destroy him,
of course. But the damage is already done. The child is born. And
more importantly, the obsidian blade is now in the hands of the
Elders. That could be a greater threat to me than the child."
"I wouldn't worry about that," said Malevant. "Those pathetic
Elders will never allow that blade to be used. They are too cautious,
too careful. They will lock the blade away where no one can get to
it. To keep it from falling into the wrong hands."
"You're right, of course," said the Source. "But what would you
suggest we do now? We have lost many good underlings in this ordeal.
And the Charmed Ones still live."
"We should bide our time," said Malevant. "We cannot afford
another fiasco such as happened today. We will get another chance.
And soon, I'm sure. When we do, we must be ready to seize that
opportunity. To rid ourselves of the accursed Charmed Ones."
"I agree," said the Source. "And when the opportunity does
present itself, we shall finally be rid of them. Portent or no
portent. I'll not be destroyed by the likes of those three witches."
Malevant bowed slightly, then turned and left the chamber. He
had done what he had come to do. Punish a traitor for betraying them.
News of that punishment would spread quickly in the underworld. It
would be a long time before another demon thought to betray either him
or the Source. The fear that punishment would instill would remain
fresh in every demon's mind for a long time to come.
The End
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction.