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!
Note: Okay, so I lied. As I was writing this chapter, I discovered that there were too many loose ends to tie up for one chapter. As a result, THIS will be the second last chapter, with chapter 34 being the final chapter of "Anguished Soul" (unless I decide to take another digression).
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Anguished Soul - Chapter 33
Arkon's screams echoed through the manor as the poison arrows took their effect. Despite being mortally injured, his mind was still bent on vengeance. Using whatever power he had left, Arkon summoned a massive fireball and launched it at the Charmed Ones. The three witches quickly moved out of harm's way, but to their dismay, the fireball did not go crashing into the wall. Instead, the fireball swerved and followed its targets. Unwittingly, the Charmed Ones found themselves cornered as the fireball zeroed in on them. Arkon's crazy and deafening laughter did little to help the situation. Piper tried once again to freeze the fireball but it was to no avail. As they braced themselves for a fiery end, Chris weakly lifted his hand and flicked it, sending the fireball on a collision course with Arkon. As the demon became engulfed in his own flames, his screams of agony became softer and softer until there was silence in the manor.
It took a few minutes before everyone recovered from shock. Paige was the first to rush towards Chris, was laid on the floor, seriously wounded. She knelt down and gently lifted his head. "Chris, I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "This is all my fault!!"
Chris wanted to argue with her but he had no energy left to do so. All he could do was close his eyes and feel his life slowly draining away. It was so difficult to keep his eyes open and everything seemed to be blurry.
Piper quickly put Wyatt in his playpen and joined Paige by Chris' side. Phoebe was flipping through the Book of Shadows, hoping to find anything that could help Chris. It was Piper who noticed that the sword of Hades that impaled Chris was no longer there. In fact, the sword had disappeared the moment Arkon was vanquished. The sword wound also disappeared and there was no blood around where the sword pierced Chris' body. Still, Chris' condition was grave and getting worse with each passing minute.
"I guess this is it, huh?" Chris said, his throat dry and burning. "You're going to get your wish, Piper. A new Whitelighter."
"Don't be stupid, Chris," Piper chastised, her voice choking on her tears. "You know I didn't mean it when I said that. You're going to be fine. You're not leaving this easily."
"I don't think I have a choice," Chris answered as he gasped for air.
At that moment, Phoebe came running into the room, vial in hand.
"Did you find anything?" Paige asked hopefully.
"Nothing that would heal him," Phoebe answered dejectedly. "But this potion should ease his pain for the time being." She slowly fed Chris the potion, wishing that there was more that she could do.
Within minutes, the potion began to take effect as Chris' pain slowly eased and his energy returned somewhat. They helped the young Whitelighter to Paige's bed and tried to make him comfortable.
"I'll go make you something to eat," Piper suggested as she headed to the door.
"Wait," Chris called out. "Don't go," he added. "I need to tell you all something."
Piper nodded and sat down in the chair while Paige and Phoebe sat on the bed. They looked at Chris as he formulated his thoughts. For the first time in a long time, the Charmed Ones remembered how young their Whitelighter really was.
"I'm sorry for causing so much trouble," Chris began as he stared as his hands, not daring to make eye contact with the sisters. "I never meant to hurt you or lie to you. I just couldn't think of any other way."
Paige hugged Chris as he spoke. "We understand. I'm so sorry for doubting you."
Chris nodded but didn't say anything in response. After a moment, he continued. "I think you all deserve some answers now. Who I really am and how I got my powers."
"Chris, you don't have to," Phoebe began. "We don't doubt your intentions. You need to rest up and get better."
Chris smiled sadly. "No, I want to tell you. I'm afraid that I won't get another chance to if I don't do it now."
Paige began to protest, but Chris did not waver. "I'm a half-witch, half Whitelighter," he said as he began to retell his childhood story. Of course, Paige had already heard this story before but even hearing a second time did not stop her tears from flowing. Not surprisingly, Piper and Phoebe were both in tears by the time Chris told them how his family was killed and how Annette had betrayed Chris. The young Whitelighter went on to explain the reason why he was sent back to the present and what his mission was.
"I'm so sorry," Piper finally said. "I never knew you had such gone through so much."
Chris nodded, accepting Piper's apology. "I knew that you would all react this way if I had told you this right from the beginning. I didn't want your pity or for you to feel bad for me. It would've made my work a lot harder."
"We would've been easier on you, Chris," Phoebe protested, bringing a weak smile to Chris' face.
"I know I was an annoying brat," Chris conceded. "It's one of the few things that come naturally for me." The young Whitelighter stopped to catch his breath before continuing. "Of course, none of this explains why I was able to summon demonic powers at will."
"Why don't you rest up for a bit first," Phoebe suggested, seeing how drained Chris looked.
"Because if I rest now, I probably won't wake up again," Chris answered grimly. "I'm fine, Phoebe. Let me finish." Chris gasped for air as he struggled to remain awake. "After my family died, I had no one to turn to. For a while, I was just wandering, trying to survive in the world of demons. Until one day."
~ flash forward ~
"One more move and I'll blast you into oblivion," Chris threatened as four demons closed in on him. When they ignored him, Chris carried out his threat by blasting the demons with energy balls. As the last of the demons were vanquished, Chris was thrown off his feet by a massive gust of wind. He felt an invisible arm choking him as he struggled to breathe.
"Christopher Perry. I've been watching you for a long time," the voice called out.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"I think you will be a valuable asset to me," the voice continued as it released its hold on Chris. "Join me."
"Who said anything about joining you?" Chris remarked with his developing cockiness.
"I think I can make you an offer that you can't refuse."
"Try me."
"How about if I offered you your family back?"
"And I'm supposed to believe you?"
"What do you have to lose?"
Chris thought for a moment. Being young and innocent, he really couldn't see the consequences of his decision. All he knew was that he wanted his family back. "What do I have to do?"
"I'll train you to become my right-hand man, Christopher. As long as you remain loyal to me, you will get your family back."
"Fine, you have yourself a deal."
~ end flash forward ~
~ 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!
Note: Okay, so I lied. As I was writing this chapter, I discovered that there were too many loose ends to tie up for one chapter. As a result, THIS will be the second last chapter, with chapter 34 being the final chapter of "Anguished Soul" (unless I decide to take another digression).
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Anguished Soul - Chapter 33
Arkon's screams echoed through the manor as the poison arrows took their effect. Despite being mortally injured, his mind was still bent on vengeance. Using whatever power he had left, Arkon summoned a massive fireball and launched it at the Charmed Ones. The three witches quickly moved out of harm's way, but to their dismay, the fireball did not go crashing into the wall. Instead, the fireball swerved and followed its targets. Unwittingly, the Charmed Ones found themselves cornered as the fireball zeroed in on them. Arkon's crazy and deafening laughter did little to help the situation. Piper tried once again to freeze the fireball but it was to no avail. As they braced themselves for a fiery end, Chris weakly lifted his hand and flicked it, sending the fireball on a collision course with Arkon. As the demon became engulfed in his own flames, his screams of agony became softer and softer until there was silence in the manor.
It took a few minutes before everyone recovered from shock. Paige was the first to rush towards Chris, was laid on the floor, seriously wounded. She knelt down and gently lifted his head. "Chris, I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "This is all my fault!!"
Chris wanted to argue with her but he had no energy left to do so. All he could do was close his eyes and feel his life slowly draining away. It was so difficult to keep his eyes open and everything seemed to be blurry.
Piper quickly put Wyatt in his playpen and joined Paige by Chris' side. Phoebe was flipping through the Book of Shadows, hoping to find anything that could help Chris. It was Piper who noticed that the sword of Hades that impaled Chris was no longer there. In fact, the sword had disappeared the moment Arkon was vanquished. The sword wound also disappeared and there was no blood around where the sword pierced Chris' body. Still, Chris' condition was grave and getting worse with each passing minute.
"I guess this is it, huh?" Chris said, his throat dry and burning. "You're going to get your wish, Piper. A new Whitelighter."
"Don't be stupid, Chris," Piper chastised, her voice choking on her tears. "You know I didn't mean it when I said that. You're going to be fine. You're not leaving this easily."
"I don't think I have a choice," Chris answered as he gasped for air.
At that moment, Phoebe came running into the room, vial in hand.
"Did you find anything?" Paige asked hopefully.
"Nothing that would heal him," Phoebe answered dejectedly. "But this potion should ease his pain for the time being." She slowly fed Chris the potion, wishing that there was more that she could do.
Within minutes, the potion began to take effect as Chris' pain slowly eased and his energy returned somewhat. They helped the young Whitelighter to Paige's bed and tried to make him comfortable.
"I'll go make you something to eat," Piper suggested as she headed to the door.
"Wait," Chris called out. "Don't go," he added. "I need to tell you all something."
Piper nodded and sat down in the chair while Paige and Phoebe sat on the bed. They looked at Chris as he formulated his thoughts. For the first time in a long time, the Charmed Ones remembered how young their Whitelighter really was.
"I'm sorry for causing so much trouble," Chris began as he stared as his hands, not daring to make eye contact with the sisters. "I never meant to hurt you or lie to you. I just couldn't think of any other way."
Paige hugged Chris as he spoke. "We understand. I'm so sorry for doubting you."
Chris nodded but didn't say anything in response. After a moment, he continued. "I think you all deserve some answers now. Who I really am and how I got my powers."
"Chris, you don't have to," Phoebe began. "We don't doubt your intentions. You need to rest up and get better."
Chris smiled sadly. "No, I want to tell you. I'm afraid that I won't get another chance to if I don't do it now."
Paige began to protest, but Chris did not waver. "I'm a half-witch, half Whitelighter," he said as he began to retell his childhood story. Of course, Paige had already heard this story before but even hearing a second time did not stop her tears from flowing. Not surprisingly, Piper and Phoebe were both in tears by the time Chris told them how his family was killed and how Annette had betrayed Chris. The young Whitelighter went on to explain the reason why he was sent back to the present and what his mission was.
"I'm so sorry," Piper finally said. "I never knew you had such gone through so much."
Chris nodded, accepting Piper's apology. "I knew that you would all react this way if I had told you this right from the beginning. I didn't want your pity or for you to feel bad for me. It would've made my work a lot harder."
"We would've been easier on you, Chris," Phoebe protested, bringing a weak smile to Chris' face.
"I know I was an annoying brat," Chris conceded. "It's one of the few things that come naturally for me." The young Whitelighter stopped to catch his breath before continuing. "Of course, none of this explains why I was able to summon demonic powers at will."
"Why don't you rest up for a bit first," Phoebe suggested, seeing how drained Chris looked.
"Because if I rest now, I probably won't wake up again," Chris answered grimly. "I'm fine, Phoebe. Let me finish." Chris gasped for air as he struggled to remain awake. "After my family died, I had no one to turn to. For a while, I was just wandering, trying to survive in the world of demons. Until one day."
~ flash forward ~
"One more move and I'll blast you into oblivion," Chris threatened as four demons closed in on him. When they ignored him, Chris carried out his threat by blasting the demons with energy balls. As the last of the demons were vanquished, Chris was thrown off his feet by a massive gust of wind. He felt an invisible arm choking him as he struggled to breathe.
"Christopher Perry. I've been watching you for a long time," the voice called out.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"I think you will be a valuable asset to me," the voice continued as it released its hold on Chris. "Join me."
"Who said anything about joining you?" Chris remarked with his developing cockiness.
"I think I can make you an offer that you can't refuse."
"Try me."
"How about if I offered you your family back?"
"And I'm supposed to believe you?"
"What do you have to lose?"
Chris thought for a moment. Being young and innocent, he really couldn't see the consequences of his decision. All he knew was that he wanted his family back. "What do I have to do?"
"I'll train you to become my right-hand man, Christopher. As long as you remain loyal to me, you will get your family back."
"Fine, you have yourself a deal."
~ end flash forward ~
~ to be continued ~
