The Last Guard at the Gate
(This is a continuation of the universe I created in Lineage and that continues in The Dark Half, Family Ties, Darkness Rising, and Destiny's Call.)
CHAPTER 1: Protector
"Azar, it's my time to go down," said Katrina. The Guardians were gathered in a meeting.
"I don't think that's a good idea, Azar," said Zibri. "Can we even take the risk at a time like this?"
"I appreciate your concern, brother," said Katrina, smiling politely, "but I'll be fine."
"No, they'll be coming after you relentlessly," insisted Zibri. Turning back to Azar, he said, "How can we protect her down there? You know we cannot directly influence the human world with our powers, even to protect one of our own."
Azar pondered on this. If Katrina were caught or captured, it could be disastrous for the universe. An idea struck him. "I know who can protect her."
"Azar, I don't need protection," she insisted firmly. "I can take care of myself."
"You are the youngest of our group, and you have NOT the experience to deal with what is to come," said Azar sternly. "This shall be done. The time has come for the next test."
****
Cole leaned back in his chair and sighed. He'd been working on his latest pro bono case for almost six hours straight, and he still had barely scratched the surface. No amount of demonic powers could ever lessen the mental strain of being a lawyer.
He went to the phone and ordered a pizza. Too bad he didn't have anyone to share it with.
Cole had no doubt he and Michael had made the right decision keeping their powers. The dark future Cole had seen had given him nightmares for a week. Yet, he wondered about the other future, where he walked alone among the masses.
Was that truly his destiny, to walk alone, as an eternal being with no ties to the human world?
Cole's thoughts were broken as two of the Guardians appeared in his room. "Azar, what are you doing here? Is something wrong?" he asked anxiously.
"No, Cole, nothing to worry about," Azar answered quickly. He turned to the hooded figure next to him. "This is Katrina. I need you to look after her for a while."
Cole's eyes grew huge. "Huh?"
"Every so often, a Guardian takes some time and becomes a mortal, to gain perspective about the world we are protecting," explained Azar. "This is Katrina's first trip to Earth, so I thought you might want to show her around. Will you be able to do this?"
Cole pondered for a moment. Then he said, "Sure, why not?"
"Excellent," said Azar, gesturing at Katrina. Her robe vanished in a flash of light, replaced by normal human clothing.
Cole gasped. Her eyes were the deepest blue he could have imagined, and a light seemed to shine behind them. She had thick, flowing blonde hair which was now tied behind her head in a ponytail. She was beautiful, no doubt about it.
Cole swallowed as he found his throat had gone dry. He walked up to Katrina and extended his hand. "I'm Cole Turner. It's very nice to meet you."
Katrina gingerly shook his hand, but didn't say a word in response.
"I have to get back now," said Azar. "I will see you both again in a few days. Good luck." He vanished.
As soon as Azar was gone, Katrina threw down Cole's hand in disgust. "I didn't ask to be protected," she said at the ceiling, "least of all by this lower being."
Cole was stunned. "Excuse me?" he said.
"You heard me," Katrina said coldly. "I've watched you with my brethren. You are reckless and foolish, and you don't deserve the power that's been given to you."
"Where do you get reckless from?" Cole asked, clearly annoyed.
"Oh, please, spare me the innocent act!" she yelled. "You and your group went into the Underworld without once considering what would happen if you failed. In fact, as I recall, your cousin turned evil for a short period because of his demon half."
"And he was turned back in the end," Cole countered. Why did this girl, as she seemed, think so low of them?
"You were lucky we intervened," she said. "You never could have defeated the Dark Lord on your own, not with your tactics."
"I didn't ask to protect you," said Cole. "But I chose to because I have respect for Azar and I don't want to let him down. So please, don't vent your frustrations on me."
Katrina sighed and calmed herself down. "Just because you're looking out for me doesn't mean I have to enjoy it, but I'll try to control my temper."
"Works for me," said Cole. "Now, what would you like to see first?" he said, leading her out to the balcony.
"Take me down there," she said, gazing at the streets. "I want to be around people so I can understand why they are the way they are."
"I'd be glad to," he said, leading her to the elevator.
****
At the same time, in the low end area of the city, a portal opened and a creature of darkness materialized. It sniffed the air, sensing for great power. Kolatar knew his mission well. He would kill the Guardian that had been sent to Earth, absorb her power, and then kill the other Guardians. He knew that it was likely that a great power was protecting her while she was mortal. Making sure that no one saw him, he shifted into human form. Kolatar felt great power coming from another area of this human city.
"You cannot hide from me, Guardian," said Kolatar. He vanished in a flash of light.
****
"Pheebs, would you mind helping me set the table?" Piper asked.
"Sure, no problem," Phoebe replied. She walked into the kitchen and helped her sister.
Piper noticed that Phoebe had a pensive look on her face. She asked, "Is something wrong, sweetie?"
Phoebe sighed. "I'm not sure. Michael's been really on edge the past couple of days. He's had nightmares. It's almost like he's frightened by something, but he doesn't know what. I've tried to comfort him, but he just waves me off. I don't know what to do."
"What did he see in the nightmares?" asked Piper.
"Nothing concrete," said Phoebe, "but whatever it is, it's really bad." She rubbed her temples. "I'm really worried about him, Piper. I've never seen him so scared about anything."
"It's ok, sweetie," said Piper, wrapping her younger sister in a hug. "You'll get through this, I'm sure of it."
"I hope so," said Phoebe.
****
Cole and Katrina walked through one of the more slummy areas of San Francisco. Katrina had a horrified look on her face. She couldn't believe the number of homeless people wandering the streets. She saw children who were broken and battered. She could feel pain emanating from all around her.
Cole sensed her apprehension and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's different than you thought it would be, isn't it?" he asked.
She nodded. "I never realized how much darkness there was in this world."
"It must be hard for you, knowing that there's nothing you can do to interfere," Cole remarked. "I feel it, too, to a certain extent."
Katrina looked at him in surprise. "You do?" she asked.
"Everyday, I just want to wave my hand and give them all nice homes to live in, give them food, everything they need," Cole said pensively. "But I can't, because I know I shouldn't. They need to find a way to put aside their differences and work to build a bright future. At least I can protect them from the darkness and keep it from consuming them."
Katrina looked into the dark blue eyes of the man beside her with wonder. "You have so much insight, Cole. Before I met you, I wouldn't have seen it, but I'm glad I did," she said. "I want to apologize for yelling at you earlier. I was wrong about you. You do things your way because you care, not because you're reckless. Forgive me for judging you like that."
"I appreciate that," said Cole, smiling. Looking at his watch, he said, "It's getting late. We should probably head back now. Besides, I never did get to that pizza."
"Is it any good?" she asked.
Cole gaped at her. "You don't know what you've been missing." They walked into a deserted alley and blurred back to the penthouse.
****
Michael ate very slowly through dinner. He barely said a word to anyone the entire time he was at the table. As soon as they were finished, Michael went into the living room to watch TV.
Phoebe watched him from the doorway of the living room. It saddened her to see him this way. He had a haggard look in his face from fear and lack of sleep.
She walked over and sat down next to him. "Baby, we need to talk," she said.
Michael shook his head. "There's nothing to talk about, Phoebe," he said in a dull voice.
"Yes, there is," she said, not willing to give up this time. "You're scared to death about something, and it's killing you. Why won't you open up to me about it?"
"Because I can't, OK!" he snapped irritably. "Just leave me alone!"
A sob hitched in Phoebe's chest. "Whatever," she said sadly. As she walked away, tears started to roll down her cheeks.
Michael heard her begin to cry, and suddenly realization hit him like a wave. What the hell was he doing? He got up quickly and went over to her. "Phoebe, wait," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She turned around, her lips quivering. "I'm sorry, baby." He pulled her into his arms and held her head against his chest.
Phoebe heard his heart beating in his chest and sighed. "I can't stand seeing you like this, Michael," she said.
Michael kissed the top of her head and tilted her neck to look at him. "I know you want to help, honey," he said with a slight smile. "I'm sorry I snapped at you like that. It's just hard to even think straight like this." He sighed. "I feel like there's a foreboding, like there's a wave of darkness coming, and it will decimate everything in its way."
Phoebe kissed him gently on the lips. "We'll get through this together, ok?"
"Ok," he said, smiling again.
Just then, a yell came down the stairs from the attic. "Phoebe, DEMON!"
Michael quickly orbed them up to the attic. They saw Piper and Paige facing a dark-haired, gray-eyed man. As Michael released Phoebe, she threw a fireball, but to her amazement, the demon absorbed it. Piper tried to freeze and blow up the demon, but to no effect. Paige had no luck with her lightning bolt either. "We're definitely having problems here," she said as the demon started to advance.
"My turn," said Michael. A Source-style fireball appeared in his hand, and he threw it. This time, the demon was knocked to the ground, and Michael could see a gash where his fireball had struck the demon. Black blood flowed copiously from the wound. "Damn, this guy is tough," he remarked. Normally, most demons would have been incinerated instantly by one Source-style fireball.
The demon groaned in pain from the wound and Michael prepared a second fireball. Before Michael had a chance to throw the fireball, Kolatar shifted into his demonic form. Michael's mouth dropped open in shock. The demon was now a good eight feet tall with a thin body and long legs and arms that had claws on the ends. A horn protruded from the top of its head and two more from the sides. Menacing red eyes were set above sharp, jagged teeth. "Where is the Guardian?" said Kolatar in a deep demonic voice.
"There is no Guardian here," said Michael as he prepared to throw the second fireball. However, Kolatar was faster and flashed out before the fireball could hit him.
"Damn! I almost had him," said Michael in annoyance.
"Well, at least he's gone," said Phoebe, leaning against her husband.
"For now," said Piper. "But he'll be back. They always are."
"Well, we'd better be more prepared, because he's immune to our powers," said Paige, indicating herself and her sisters. "Why do you think he thought one of the Guardians would be here?"
"I don't know," said Michael, "but I sure would like to know."
****
"Cole, that was delicious," said Katrina, wiping some tomato sauce from her face.
"I just can't believe they don't have anything like pizza in your realm," he said, chuckling.
"Well, normally, I don't have to eat," said Katrina. "Guardians' bodies are different than yours. Our magic sustains us indefinitely and independently."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Cole said, smiling.
"Me too," said Katrina, meeting Cole's gaze. "You've been staring at me a lot."
Cole blushed, embarrassed. "I can't help it. You're a very beautiful woman, Katrina."
"Thank you," she said. "I think you're a handsome man, Cole, and you have a good heart, which I'm sorry I didn't see before I met you. I'm surprised you aren't married." Seeing the sad look that passed over Cole's face, she said, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I should have realized..."
"No, it's alright," he said. "I haven't always been the man you see before you."
"It doesn't matter who you were, Cole," Katrina said firmly. "You have to put your past behind you, and look to the future." Cole and Katrina looked into each others' eyes for a minute. Then she said, "You know, Cole, there was something else of this world that I have yet to experience."
"What would that be?" he asked, moving closer to her.
"This," she said, and kissed him. Cole put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her back. As they pulled apart, she gasped and said, "That's amazing. So much emotion from physical contact is incredible."
"That's what love feels like," said Cole, smiling again. Suddenly, Kolatar materialized in the room in his demonic form. "Get behind me!" he yelled.
"Oh, my God," she gasped as she saw Kolatar.
"You cannot escape me, Guardian," hissed Kolatar. He fired an energy bolt and it knocked Cole off his feet. Cole was stunned, but unharmed. He threw an energy ball in response, and it hit Kolatar squarely in his abdominal region, causing black blood to spurt out.
Cole wasted no time and threw a second energy ball. Kolatar screamed in pain and fell to the ground. Cole threw one more energy ball, and this time Kolatar was engulfed in flames and vanquished.
Cole got up and turned to Katrina. "Are you alright?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm fine," she said in a shaky voice.
"Did you recognize him?" he asked her. "I've never seen any demon like that before."
She nodded. "I haven't actually seen one before, but I've heard about them." She shook her head. "We need to go to the Charmed Ones, now."
"Why? What's wrong?" Cole asked.
"Things have just become much worse, Cole," she said. "This one was only the messenger. There will be more, and we need to be prepared. Otherwise we're all dead."
"Who are they?" he demanded.
Katrina looked at him sadly. "The Devourers," she whispered.
TO BE CONTINUED...
(This is a continuation of the universe I created in Lineage and that continues in The Dark Half, Family Ties, Darkness Rising, and Destiny's Call.)
CHAPTER 1: Protector
"Azar, it's my time to go down," said Katrina. The Guardians were gathered in a meeting.
"I don't think that's a good idea, Azar," said Zibri. "Can we even take the risk at a time like this?"
"I appreciate your concern, brother," said Katrina, smiling politely, "but I'll be fine."
"No, they'll be coming after you relentlessly," insisted Zibri. Turning back to Azar, he said, "How can we protect her down there? You know we cannot directly influence the human world with our powers, even to protect one of our own."
Azar pondered on this. If Katrina were caught or captured, it could be disastrous for the universe. An idea struck him. "I know who can protect her."
"Azar, I don't need protection," she insisted firmly. "I can take care of myself."
"You are the youngest of our group, and you have NOT the experience to deal with what is to come," said Azar sternly. "This shall be done. The time has come for the next test."
****
Cole leaned back in his chair and sighed. He'd been working on his latest pro bono case for almost six hours straight, and he still had barely scratched the surface. No amount of demonic powers could ever lessen the mental strain of being a lawyer.
He went to the phone and ordered a pizza. Too bad he didn't have anyone to share it with.
Cole had no doubt he and Michael had made the right decision keeping their powers. The dark future Cole had seen had given him nightmares for a week. Yet, he wondered about the other future, where he walked alone among the masses.
Was that truly his destiny, to walk alone, as an eternal being with no ties to the human world?
Cole's thoughts were broken as two of the Guardians appeared in his room. "Azar, what are you doing here? Is something wrong?" he asked anxiously.
"No, Cole, nothing to worry about," Azar answered quickly. He turned to the hooded figure next to him. "This is Katrina. I need you to look after her for a while."
Cole's eyes grew huge. "Huh?"
"Every so often, a Guardian takes some time and becomes a mortal, to gain perspective about the world we are protecting," explained Azar. "This is Katrina's first trip to Earth, so I thought you might want to show her around. Will you be able to do this?"
Cole pondered for a moment. Then he said, "Sure, why not?"
"Excellent," said Azar, gesturing at Katrina. Her robe vanished in a flash of light, replaced by normal human clothing.
Cole gasped. Her eyes were the deepest blue he could have imagined, and a light seemed to shine behind them. She had thick, flowing blonde hair which was now tied behind her head in a ponytail. She was beautiful, no doubt about it.
Cole swallowed as he found his throat had gone dry. He walked up to Katrina and extended his hand. "I'm Cole Turner. It's very nice to meet you."
Katrina gingerly shook his hand, but didn't say a word in response.
"I have to get back now," said Azar. "I will see you both again in a few days. Good luck." He vanished.
As soon as Azar was gone, Katrina threw down Cole's hand in disgust. "I didn't ask to be protected," she said at the ceiling, "least of all by this lower being."
Cole was stunned. "Excuse me?" he said.
"You heard me," Katrina said coldly. "I've watched you with my brethren. You are reckless and foolish, and you don't deserve the power that's been given to you."
"Where do you get reckless from?" Cole asked, clearly annoyed.
"Oh, please, spare me the innocent act!" she yelled. "You and your group went into the Underworld without once considering what would happen if you failed. In fact, as I recall, your cousin turned evil for a short period because of his demon half."
"And he was turned back in the end," Cole countered. Why did this girl, as she seemed, think so low of them?
"You were lucky we intervened," she said. "You never could have defeated the Dark Lord on your own, not with your tactics."
"I didn't ask to protect you," said Cole. "But I chose to because I have respect for Azar and I don't want to let him down. So please, don't vent your frustrations on me."
Katrina sighed and calmed herself down. "Just because you're looking out for me doesn't mean I have to enjoy it, but I'll try to control my temper."
"Works for me," said Cole. "Now, what would you like to see first?" he said, leading her out to the balcony.
"Take me down there," she said, gazing at the streets. "I want to be around people so I can understand why they are the way they are."
"I'd be glad to," he said, leading her to the elevator.
****
At the same time, in the low end area of the city, a portal opened and a creature of darkness materialized. It sniffed the air, sensing for great power. Kolatar knew his mission well. He would kill the Guardian that had been sent to Earth, absorb her power, and then kill the other Guardians. He knew that it was likely that a great power was protecting her while she was mortal. Making sure that no one saw him, he shifted into human form. Kolatar felt great power coming from another area of this human city.
"You cannot hide from me, Guardian," said Kolatar. He vanished in a flash of light.
****
"Pheebs, would you mind helping me set the table?" Piper asked.
"Sure, no problem," Phoebe replied. She walked into the kitchen and helped her sister.
Piper noticed that Phoebe had a pensive look on her face. She asked, "Is something wrong, sweetie?"
Phoebe sighed. "I'm not sure. Michael's been really on edge the past couple of days. He's had nightmares. It's almost like he's frightened by something, but he doesn't know what. I've tried to comfort him, but he just waves me off. I don't know what to do."
"What did he see in the nightmares?" asked Piper.
"Nothing concrete," said Phoebe, "but whatever it is, it's really bad." She rubbed her temples. "I'm really worried about him, Piper. I've never seen him so scared about anything."
"It's ok, sweetie," said Piper, wrapping her younger sister in a hug. "You'll get through this, I'm sure of it."
"I hope so," said Phoebe.
****
Cole and Katrina walked through one of the more slummy areas of San Francisco. Katrina had a horrified look on her face. She couldn't believe the number of homeless people wandering the streets. She saw children who were broken and battered. She could feel pain emanating from all around her.
Cole sensed her apprehension and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's different than you thought it would be, isn't it?" he asked.
She nodded. "I never realized how much darkness there was in this world."
"It must be hard for you, knowing that there's nothing you can do to interfere," Cole remarked. "I feel it, too, to a certain extent."
Katrina looked at him in surprise. "You do?" she asked.
"Everyday, I just want to wave my hand and give them all nice homes to live in, give them food, everything they need," Cole said pensively. "But I can't, because I know I shouldn't. They need to find a way to put aside their differences and work to build a bright future. At least I can protect them from the darkness and keep it from consuming them."
Katrina looked into the dark blue eyes of the man beside her with wonder. "You have so much insight, Cole. Before I met you, I wouldn't have seen it, but I'm glad I did," she said. "I want to apologize for yelling at you earlier. I was wrong about you. You do things your way because you care, not because you're reckless. Forgive me for judging you like that."
"I appreciate that," said Cole, smiling. Looking at his watch, he said, "It's getting late. We should probably head back now. Besides, I never did get to that pizza."
"Is it any good?" she asked.
Cole gaped at her. "You don't know what you've been missing." They walked into a deserted alley and blurred back to the penthouse.
****
Michael ate very slowly through dinner. He barely said a word to anyone the entire time he was at the table. As soon as they were finished, Michael went into the living room to watch TV.
Phoebe watched him from the doorway of the living room. It saddened her to see him this way. He had a haggard look in his face from fear and lack of sleep.
She walked over and sat down next to him. "Baby, we need to talk," she said.
Michael shook his head. "There's nothing to talk about, Phoebe," he said in a dull voice.
"Yes, there is," she said, not willing to give up this time. "You're scared to death about something, and it's killing you. Why won't you open up to me about it?"
"Because I can't, OK!" he snapped irritably. "Just leave me alone!"
A sob hitched in Phoebe's chest. "Whatever," she said sadly. As she walked away, tears started to roll down her cheeks.
Michael heard her begin to cry, and suddenly realization hit him like a wave. What the hell was he doing? He got up quickly and went over to her. "Phoebe, wait," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She turned around, her lips quivering. "I'm sorry, baby." He pulled her into his arms and held her head against his chest.
Phoebe heard his heart beating in his chest and sighed. "I can't stand seeing you like this, Michael," she said.
Michael kissed the top of her head and tilted her neck to look at him. "I know you want to help, honey," he said with a slight smile. "I'm sorry I snapped at you like that. It's just hard to even think straight like this." He sighed. "I feel like there's a foreboding, like there's a wave of darkness coming, and it will decimate everything in its way."
Phoebe kissed him gently on the lips. "We'll get through this together, ok?"
"Ok," he said, smiling again.
Just then, a yell came down the stairs from the attic. "Phoebe, DEMON!"
Michael quickly orbed them up to the attic. They saw Piper and Paige facing a dark-haired, gray-eyed man. As Michael released Phoebe, she threw a fireball, but to her amazement, the demon absorbed it. Piper tried to freeze and blow up the demon, but to no effect. Paige had no luck with her lightning bolt either. "We're definitely having problems here," she said as the demon started to advance.
"My turn," said Michael. A Source-style fireball appeared in his hand, and he threw it. This time, the demon was knocked to the ground, and Michael could see a gash where his fireball had struck the demon. Black blood flowed copiously from the wound. "Damn, this guy is tough," he remarked. Normally, most demons would have been incinerated instantly by one Source-style fireball.
The demon groaned in pain from the wound and Michael prepared a second fireball. Before Michael had a chance to throw the fireball, Kolatar shifted into his demonic form. Michael's mouth dropped open in shock. The demon was now a good eight feet tall with a thin body and long legs and arms that had claws on the ends. A horn protruded from the top of its head and two more from the sides. Menacing red eyes were set above sharp, jagged teeth. "Where is the Guardian?" said Kolatar in a deep demonic voice.
"There is no Guardian here," said Michael as he prepared to throw the second fireball. However, Kolatar was faster and flashed out before the fireball could hit him.
"Damn! I almost had him," said Michael in annoyance.
"Well, at least he's gone," said Phoebe, leaning against her husband.
"For now," said Piper. "But he'll be back. They always are."
"Well, we'd better be more prepared, because he's immune to our powers," said Paige, indicating herself and her sisters. "Why do you think he thought one of the Guardians would be here?"
"I don't know," said Michael, "but I sure would like to know."
****
"Cole, that was delicious," said Katrina, wiping some tomato sauce from her face.
"I just can't believe they don't have anything like pizza in your realm," he said, chuckling.
"Well, normally, I don't have to eat," said Katrina. "Guardians' bodies are different than yours. Our magic sustains us indefinitely and independently."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Cole said, smiling.
"Me too," said Katrina, meeting Cole's gaze. "You've been staring at me a lot."
Cole blushed, embarrassed. "I can't help it. You're a very beautiful woman, Katrina."
"Thank you," she said. "I think you're a handsome man, Cole, and you have a good heart, which I'm sorry I didn't see before I met you. I'm surprised you aren't married." Seeing the sad look that passed over Cole's face, she said, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I should have realized..."
"No, it's alright," he said. "I haven't always been the man you see before you."
"It doesn't matter who you were, Cole," Katrina said firmly. "You have to put your past behind you, and look to the future." Cole and Katrina looked into each others' eyes for a minute. Then she said, "You know, Cole, there was something else of this world that I have yet to experience."
"What would that be?" he asked, moving closer to her.
"This," she said, and kissed him. Cole put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her back. As they pulled apart, she gasped and said, "That's amazing. So much emotion from physical contact is incredible."
"That's what love feels like," said Cole, smiling again. Suddenly, Kolatar materialized in the room in his demonic form. "Get behind me!" he yelled.
"Oh, my God," she gasped as she saw Kolatar.
"You cannot escape me, Guardian," hissed Kolatar. He fired an energy bolt and it knocked Cole off his feet. Cole was stunned, but unharmed. He threw an energy ball in response, and it hit Kolatar squarely in his abdominal region, causing black blood to spurt out.
Cole wasted no time and threw a second energy ball. Kolatar screamed in pain and fell to the ground. Cole threw one more energy ball, and this time Kolatar was engulfed in flames and vanquished.
Cole got up and turned to Katrina. "Are you alright?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm fine," she said in a shaky voice.
"Did you recognize him?" he asked her. "I've never seen any demon like that before."
She nodded. "I haven't actually seen one before, but I've heard about them." She shook her head. "We need to go to the Charmed Ones, now."
"Why? What's wrong?" Cole asked.
"Things have just become much worse, Cole," she said. "This one was only the messenger. There will be more, and we need to be prepared. Otherwise we're all dead."
"Who are they?" he demanded.
Katrina looked at him sadly. "The Devourers," she whispered.
TO BE CONTINUED...