Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed.
All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Anguished Soul - Chapter 24
~ flash forward ~
"Don't worry, things will be okay, Mom," Chris said as he shivered from the cold.
"I know, Chris," Lauryn answered as she tried to force a smile on her face. Deep down, she knew that things were not okay. In fact, she wasn't even sure if they would survive the night. Things have been difficult for the past few years, but despite the odds, the family had managed to survive.
Lauryn came from a line of powerful witches. Ever since the defeat of the Charmed Ones years ago, her line of witches had tried to take up the torch and carry on the fight against the demons who ruled the world. For a while, the witches held their own, but soon, the demons began to gain the upper hand. Things became desperate and it seemed as if all would be lost. That was when she met Michael. It was during one of those epic battles that it first began. During this particular battle, a great number of witches were killed by the demons. Lauryn was about to give up hope when Michael and his friends joined the fight. In the end, the demons were pushed back and it wasn't long before she fell in love with Michael.
Michael was a Whitelighter, one of the few who survived the demon's onslaught. He was different from the rest. Cocky but charming, confident but caring, he possessed powers that other Whitelighters did not have. Amidst the turmoil, Lauryn and Michael developed a love for each other that resulted in marriage. Together, they fought side by side against the demons and scored a number of major victories.
Several years passed and Lauryn gave birth to an adorable son. They named him Chris, after one of the great warriors who fought valiantly against the demons. He possessed his father's strength and his mother's wisdom. Most of all, he possessed both of their powers. He was their pride and their joy. He was their hope - their hope that perhaps one day, he would live in a world free of demons.
Lauryn and Michael soon had another child, who they named Ben. Chris loved Ben more than anyone and sheltered him from every and any real or perceived danger. The two brothers grew close and their bonds were strong. Lauryn and Michael's hopes grew that together, Chris and Ben would be beacons of light in a world of darkness.
Soon after, the demons began to mount a fierce attack on the forces of good. This time, they were determined to drive out and destroy anyone who dared oppose them. The pure brutality of their attack took the forces of good by surprise. Lauryn and Michael fought valiantly, but realized that they were no match for their attackers. Taking Chris and Ben, the family fled their home into the countryside, hoping to outrun their pursuers.
Lauryn broke from her thoughts as she heard Ben crying.
"What's wrong, baby?" she asked, hoping that Ben's crying would not attract the attention of the demons.
"I think he must have been hurt when we were leaving the house," Chris said as he noticed the bleeding. "It looks like one of the Kyrons' poisons."
"Let me heal him," Michael replied as he joined the three of them.
"But Michael, you have already lost so much power from the fight," Lauryn answered, alarmed at what her injured husband was about to do.
"He's our son," Michael answered grimly. "I have to save him."
"Dad, we can use the balsam shoots to nurse his wounds," Chris said. "Then you can conserve your powers."
"It's too dangerous to go out and find the balsam shoots," his father objected.
"I know where I can get them," Chris insisted. "Let me go find it."
"No, Chris. It's too dangerous."
"Please Dad? Ben's hurting so much. I promise I'll be careful," the young boy pleaded.
"Very well, Chris. But you promise to be careful. Don't take unnecessary risks."
"I promise, Dad," Chris answered as he moved to hug Michael and Lauryn. He then knelt down by Ben, who was still whimpering softly. "You hang in there, buddy. I'll bring the balsam shoots back for you, okay?"
Ben looked at Chris with his blue eyes and nodded obediently.
With that, Chris left the cave in search of the balsam shoots.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chris snuck into the garden and looked around to make sure no one was around. He scanned the area and finally located what he came to look for. Grabbing it, he made his escape.
The young boy smiled as he looked at the balsam shoots. "Ben is going to be so happy once his wounds heal," he thought excitedly. Running into the cave, his senses caused him to come to an abrupt stop. There was the smell. The smell that was so familiar to him. The smell that he grew up with but dreaded all the same. It was the smell of death.
He dropped the balsam shoot and ran into the cave, not caring whether or not an ambush was waiting for him. The sight that met him knocked the wind out of the young boy. His knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground.
There before his eyes was his beloved family, lying on the ground, bloodied and motionless. "No!" he cried as his mind refused to believe what he saw. "NO!!!"
He crawled over to Michael, his body marred by numerous wounds. The body was warm but there was no life in it. "DAD!!!" the young boy sobbed as tried in vain to revive his father. Lying next to Michael was Lauryn, her body pierced by the sword of the Dark One. "MOM!!!"
The body moved. The movement was so faint that Chris almost did not notice it. "Chris," she whispered weakly.
"Mom!!" the boy cried desperately. "Don't leave me!! You can't leave me!!"
"My baby," she cried, her strength failing her. "I love you, baby," she gasped before she too succumbed to her wounds.
"MOM!!!!!!!!!!!" Chris sobbed as his world crashed around him. He hugged her tightly, hoping that she was only asleep. But despite his young age, Chris was already well-acquainted with the idea of death. Deep down he knew - his parents were dead; he was now an orphan.
His eyes darted to the other end of the cave. Ben!! Chris ran over to where Ben was lying. The younger boy was severely wounded and gasping for air. Chris helped him to a more comfortable position and summoned all his powers to save him. Despite his efforts, Chris could do little to lessen Ben's pain.
"Did you get the balsam shoots?" Ben whispered as his breaths became shorter.
Chris held the dying Ben in his arms and nodded. "Yes. I promised you I would get it, right?"
Ben smiled and nodded. "You're the best, Chris. I've always wanted to be like you."
Chris shook his head as tears flowed uncontrollably down his young face. "You'll be even better than me, Ben. You hang in there."
Ben simply smiled but did not answer as his strength was just about sapped. After a moment, he opened his mouth again. "I love you, Chris," he struggled to say. "Don't." Ben's body convulsed as he struggled to breathe.
"Ben!!" Chris panicked. "You'll be okay. You just get some rest, okay?"
Ben shook his head. "Don't. Give. Up."
Chris sat in stunned silence as Ben's body went limp in his hands. The rumbling of thunder could be heard as the rain poured down. Chris stared down at Ben's now lifeless body and felt an uncontrollable rage surge through him. He looked up into the heavens, his eyes burning with fire. The young boy's body shook violently as he yelled at the top of his lungs, "NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
~ to be continued ~
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Anguished Soul - Chapter 24
~ flash forward ~
"Don't worry, things will be okay, Mom," Chris said as he shivered from the cold.
"I know, Chris," Lauryn answered as she tried to force a smile on her face. Deep down, she knew that things were not okay. In fact, she wasn't even sure if they would survive the night. Things have been difficult for the past few years, but despite the odds, the family had managed to survive.
Lauryn came from a line of powerful witches. Ever since the defeat of the Charmed Ones years ago, her line of witches had tried to take up the torch and carry on the fight against the demons who ruled the world. For a while, the witches held their own, but soon, the demons began to gain the upper hand. Things became desperate and it seemed as if all would be lost. That was when she met Michael. It was during one of those epic battles that it first began. During this particular battle, a great number of witches were killed by the demons. Lauryn was about to give up hope when Michael and his friends joined the fight. In the end, the demons were pushed back and it wasn't long before she fell in love with Michael.
Michael was a Whitelighter, one of the few who survived the demon's onslaught. He was different from the rest. Cocky but charming, confident but caring, he possessed powers that other Whitelighters did not have. Amidst the turmoil, Lauryn and Michael developed a love for each other that resulted in marriage. Together, they fought side by side against the demons and scored a number of major victories.
Several years passed and Lauryn gave birth to an adorable son. They named him Chris, after one of the great warriors who fought valiantly against the demons. He possessed his father's strength and his mother's wisdom. Most of all, he possessed both of their powers. He was their pride and their joy. He was their hope - their hope that perhaps one day, he would live in a world free of demons.
Lauryn and Michael soon had another child, who they named Ben. Chris loved Ben more than anyone and sheltered him from every and any real or perceived danger. The two brothers grew close and their bonds were strong. Lauryn and Michael's hopes grew that together, Chris and Ben would be beacons of light in a world of darkness.
Soon after, the demons began to mount a fierce attack on the forces of good. This time, they were determined to drive out and destroy anyone who dared oppose them. The pure brutality of their attack took the forces of good by surprise. Lauryn and Michael fought valiantly, but realized that they were no match for their attackers. Taking Chris and Ben, the family fled their home into the countryside, hoping to outrun their pursuers.
Lauryn broke from her thoughts as she heard Ben crying.
"What's wrong, baby?" she asked, hoping that Ben's crying would not attract the attention of the demons.
"I think he must have been hurt when we were leaving the house," Chris said as he noticed the bleeding. "It looks like one of the Kyrons' poisons."
"Let me heal him," Michael replied as he joined the three of them.
"But Michael, you have already lost so much power from the fight," Lauryn answered, alarmed at what her injured husband was about to do.
"He's our son," Michael answered grimly. "I have to save him."
"Dad, we can use the balsam shoots to nurse his wounds," Chris said. "Then you can conserve your powers."
"It's too dangerous to go out and find the balsam shoots," his father objected.
"I know where I can get them," Chris insisted. "Let me go find it."
"No, Chris. It's too dangerous."
"Please Dad? Ben's hurting so much. I promise I'll be careful," the young boy pleaded.
"Very well, Chris. But you promise to be careful. Don't take unnecessary risks."
"I promise, Dad," Chris answered as he moved to hug Michael and Lauryn. He then knelt down by Ben, who was still whimpering softly. "You hang in there, buddy. I'll bring the balsam shoots back for you, okay?"
Ben looked at Chris with his blue eyes and nodded obediently.
With that, Chris left the cave in search of the balsam shoots.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chris snuck into the garden and looked around to make sure no one was around. He scanned the area and finally located what he came to look for. Grabbing it, he made his escape.
The young boy smiled as he looked at the balsam shoots. "Ben is going to be so happy once his wounds heal," he thought excitedly. Running into the cave, his senses caused him to come to an abrupt stop. There was the smell. The smell that was so familiar to him. The smell that he grew up with but dreaded all the same. It was the smell of death.
He dropped the balsam shoot and ran into the cave, not caring whether or not an ambush was waiting for him. The sight that met him knocked the wind out of the young boy. His knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground.
There before his eyes was his beloved family, lying on the ground, bloodied and motionless. "No!" he cried as his mind refused to believe what he saw. "NO!!!"
He crawled over to Michael, his body marred by numerous wounds. The body was warm but there was no life in it. "DAD!!!" the young boy sobbed as tried in vain to revive his father. Lying next to Michael was Lauryn, her body pierced by the sword of the Dark One. "MOM!!!"
The body moved. The movement was so faint that Chris almost did not notice it. "Chris," she whispered weakly.
"Mom!!" the boy cried desperately. "Don't leave me!! You can't leave me!!"
"My baby," she cried, her strength failing her. "I love you, baby," she gasped before she too succumbed to her wounds.
"MOM!!!!!!!!!!!" Chris sobbed as his world crashed around him. He hugged her tightly, hoping that she was only asleep. But despite his young age, Chris was already well-acquainted with the idea of death. Deep down he knew - his parents were dead; he was now an orphan.
His eyes darted to the other end of the cave. Ben!! Chris ran over to where Ben was lying. The younger boy was severely wounded and gasping for air. Chris helped him to a more comfortable position and summoned all his powers to save him. Despite his efforts, Chris could do little to lessen Ben's pain.
"Did you get the balsam shoots?" Ben whispered as his breaths became shorter.
Chris held the dying Ben in his arms and nodded. "Yes. I promised you I would get it, right?"
Ben smiled and nodded. "You're the best, Chris. I've always wanted to be like you."
Chris shook his head as tears flowed uncontrollably down his young face. "You'll be even better than me, Ben. You hang in there."
Ben simply smiled but did not answer as his strength was just about sapped. After a moment, he opened his mouth again. "I love you, Chris," he struggled to say. "Don't." Ben's body convulsed as he struggled to breathe.
"Ben!!" Chris panicked. "You'll be okay. You just get some rest, okay?"
Ben shook his head. "Don't. Give. Up."
Chris sat in stunned silence as Ben's body went limp in his hands. The rumbling of thunder could be heard as the rain poured down. Chris stared down at Ben's now lifeless body and felt an uncontrollable rage surge through him. He looked up into the heavens, his eyes burning with fire. The young boy's body shook violently as he yelled at the top of his lungs, "NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
~ to be continued ~
