EIGHT
Angel, Spike, and the sisters cautiously entered single room that comprised the lower level of the Overworld. Gangis was surprised when Lemmick had agreed to see them. But he escorted them to the entrance to the lower level and left them alone.
They noticed the Revenant as soon as they entered the room. It was hard not to. The creature stood over nine feet tall. His skin was a dark gray as if made from stone. It had no hair and its head was squarer than that of a human. But the most disturbing thing about it was that it had no eyes; only empty sockets where the eyes should have been.
"Lemmick?" questioned Angel as they entered the room.
The demon looked at him with its empty eye sockets.
"You must be the infamous Angelus," said the demon in a deep base voice. "And that would be Spike. Two legendary vampires come to see me. I understand you've brought witches with you."
"Yes," said Piper stepping up next to Angel. "I'm Piper Halliwell...."
"A Charmed One," Lemmick finished. "And your two sisters. I should be honored. Such distinguished company."
"Thanks for seeing us," said Piper. "I understand you don't normally see people."
"I was bored," said Lemmick. "And Gangis said you have a proposition for me. One you thought I would be sure to be interested in. I was curious what you thought I might be interested in."
"We need some information and we're willing to pay for it," said Angel.
"I have no need of money," said Lemmick. "And the type of payment most demons receive doesn't interest me either. I don't see what you could possibly offer me that you thought I would be interested in."
"How about a way to complete your mission?" Paige asked.
"Interesting," said Lemmick. "But I'm afraid that isn't possible. If you know who I am you also know what I am. And you must know I can never complete my mission. A jealous husband killed my target before I could get to him. Since I can't destroy him, as I was summoned to do, it's not possible for me to complete my mission."
"What if we could do something about that?" Piper asked. "Would that be worth something to you?"
"What could you do?" Lemmick asked. "Resurrect my target? That would do no good. It wouldn't be the original target. Which means it would do no good for me to kill him."
"We can do the next best thing," said Paige. "If you know who we are then you know what we can do. We've got a spell that might unbind you from your target. If you're not bound to him then you don't need to complete your mission."
"And I would be allowed to finally return to the Earth," said Lemmick, closing his eyes. "I have thought of that for thousands of years. But the magic that created me is powerful. It would take a powerful magic to undo it."
"We can," said Piper. "Nothing is stronger than the Power of Three. So we're willing to make a deal with you. Tell us what you know about The First Evil and we'll free you from your binding."
"An intriguing offer," said Lemmick. "How do I know you will do as you say once I have told you what I know?"
"You have my word," said Piper. "Tell us what you know, no matter how much or how little it is, and we'll use our magic to free you."
"The First Evil," said Lemmick. "A powerful force. Unmatched in its hatred of all humanity. It was vanquished long ago."
"It's back," said Angel. "And we need to know what you know so we can fight it."
"You have made an offer," said Lemmick. "My knowledge of The First may be insufficient to what you offer in payment."
"Well, in all fairness," said Phoebe, "we aren't exactly sure our spell is going to work, either. But whatever you can tell us will be enough."
"An agreeable exchange," said Lemmick. "Sit down. I will tell you all I know of the one called The First Evil."
The five sat and listened intently as Lemmick told what he knew of The First. Some, he admitted, was only speculation or rumor. And some he wasn't clear on the specifics. But when he had finished, he had told them more than they had hoped to learn.
"Now," said Lemmick, "I have completed my part of the bargain. You know all that I do about The First Evil. I will have my payment. Give me the rest I have longed for all these millennia."
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige stood up and joined hands. Together, they intoned the spell they hoped would free the Revenant from its walking death.
"Magic cast from distant past, binding this demon to his quest.
"An unnatural creature summoned for vengeance unable to find his rest.
"We call upon the Power of Three to vanquish the binding and set him free.
"Undo the power that holds him bound, and free his spirit to return to the ground."
They had no sooner completed the incantation than the Revenant turned completely to dust and collapsed on the floor. Satisfied they had successfully broken the binding on the demon, the group turned to leave the lower level and the warehouse that was a haven for demons.
Angel, Spike, and the sisters cautiously entered single room that comprised the lower level of the Overworld. Gangis was surprised when Lemmick had agreed to see them. But he escorted them to the entrance to the lower level and left them alone.
They noticed the Revenant as soon as they entered the room. It was hard not to. The creature stood over nine feet tall. His skin was a dark gray as if made from stone. It had no hair and its head was squarer than that of a human. But the most disturbing thing about it was that it had no eyes; only empty sockets where the eyes should have been.
"Lemmick?" questioned Angel as they entered the room.
The demon looked at him with its empty eye sockets.
"You must be the infamous Angelus," said the demon in a deep base voice. "And that would be Spike. Two legendary vampires come to see me. I understand you've brought witches with you."
"Yes," said Piper stepping up next to Angel. "I'm Piper Halliwell...."
"A Charmed One," Lemmick finished. "And your two sisters. I should be honored. Such distinguished company."
"Thanks for seeing us," said Piper. "I understand you don't normally see people."
"I was bored," said Lemmick. "And Gangis said you have a proposition for me. One you thought I would be sure to be interested in. I was curious what you thought I might be interested in."
"We need some information and we're willing to pay for it," said Angel.
"I have no need of money," said Lemmick. "And the type of payment most demons receive doesn't interest me either. I don't see what you could possibly offer me that you thought I would be interested in."
"How about a way to complete your mission?" Paige asked.
"Interesting," said Lemmick. "But I'm afraid that isn't possible. If you know who I am you also know what I am. And you must know I can never complete my mission. A jealous husband killed my target before I could get to him. Since I can't destroy him, as I was summoned to do, it's not possible for me to complete my mission."
"What if we could do something about that?" Piper asked. "Would that be worth something to you?"
"What could you do?" Lemmick asked. "Resurrect my target? That would do no good. It wouldn't be the original target. Which means it would do no good for me to kill him."
"We can do the next best thing," said Paige. "If you know who we are then you know what we can do. We've got a spell that might unbind you from your target. If you're not bound to him then you don't need to complete your mission."
"And I would be allowed to finally return to the Earth," said Lemmick, closing his eyes. "I have thought of that for thousands of years. But the magic that created me is powerful. It would take a powerful magic to undo it."
"We can," said Piper. "Nothing is stronger than the Power of Three. So we're willing to make a deal with you. Tell us what you know about The First Evil and we'll free you from your binding."
"An intriguing offer," said Lemmick. "How do I know you will do as you say once I have told you what I know?"
"You have my word," said Piper. "Tell us what you know, no matter how much or how little it is, and we'll use our magic to free you."
"The First Evil," said Lemmick. "A powerful force. Unmatched in its hatred of all humanity. It was vanquished long ago."
"It's back," said Angel. "And we need to know what you know so we can fight it."
"You have made an offer," said Lemmick. "My knowledge of The First may be insufficient to what you offer in payment."
"Well, in all fairness," said Phoebe, "we aren't exactly sure our spell is going to work, either. But whatever you can tell us will be enough."
"An agreeable exchange," said Lemmick. "Sit down. I will tell you all I know of the one called The First Evil."
The five sat and listened intently as Lemmick told what he knew of The First. Some, he admitted, was only speculation or rumor. And some he wasn't clear on the specifics. But when he had finished, he had told them more than they had hoped to learn.
"Now," said Lemmick, "I have completed my part of the bargain. You know all that I do about The First Evil. I will have my payment. Give me the rest I have longed for all these millennia."
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige stood up and joined hands. Together, they intoned the spell they hoped would free the Revenant from its walking death.
"Magic cast from distant past, binding this demon to his quest.
"An unnatural creature summoned for vengeance unable to find his rest.
"We call upon the Power of Three to vanquish the binding and set him free.
"Undo the power that holds him bound, and free his spirit to return to the ground."
They had no sooner completed the incantation than the Revenant turned completely to dust and collapsed on the floor. Satisfied they had successfully broken the binding on the demon, the group turned to leave the lower level and the warehouse that was a haven for demons.