NINE
"How's Wyatt?" Piper asked as soon as they returned to the manor.
"Sleeping like a baby," said Buffy. "It's been real quiet around here. Did you find out anything?"
"Plenty," said Angel. "Apparently what Cole told us was true. At least what Lemmick could verify. Under the right circumstances The First is able to inhabit a human child."
"What circumstances?" asked Leo. "Don't worry. Chris is with Wyatt right now. If there's any trouble he'll orb Wyatt away immediately."
"Good," said Piper as they all gathered in the living room. "Well, it happens at most once every century or so. When the five inner planets are in a particular alignment. Apparently that alignment is occurring right now. From the time it starts until they pass through the alignment The First has the opportunity to take on corporeal form. And it has to join with the baby while it's still in that form."
"But there are other restrictions," said Angel. "The child must be strong enough to withstand the magic The First will infuse them with. Only certain children have that strength. And the child must be under one year of age, preferably under six months."
"Well, so far, Wyatt fits that," said Leo.
"However," said Paige, "the most important restrictions are that it can only take place on the second day of the full moon. Something about some mystical energy radiated by the moon at this time. Lemmick couldn't remember exactly what the reasoning was."
"Plus," said Phoebe, "the most opportune time is between sunset and midnight on Friday the 13th. The most effective time is just a few minutes before midnight until a few minutes after midnight."
"The so-called witching hour," said Buffy.
"Yes," said Piper. "That's supposedly when its power will be the strongest. It will be the perfect time for it to try to inhabit Wyatt."
"The full moon begins in three days," said Giles, consulting one of his books. "It's expected to be full on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday."
"And today is the 9th," said Buffy. "That makes Friday the 13th. Which means that's probably going to be when it attacks."
"That would make sense," said Leo. "It would probably wait until it's at its strongest. Now all we have to do is come up with a way to fight it when it's in its corporeal form."
"That's the best part," said Piper. "While it's in its corporeal form it's just as vulnerable as any human. It's magic is suspended until it completes the possession. Once it attacks I'll just blow it up and that will be the end of it."
"Need I remind you," said Giles, "that we aren't talking about a being. The First Evil is more a force of nature than a living creature. If you destroy its corporeal form it will simply revert back to its spirit form."
"True," said Paige, "but according to Lemmick it will destroy a lot of The Firsts' power. Make it even weaker than it is now. Which means it will take considerably longer before it can replenish that power."
"Interesting," said Giles. "And you got all this from a creature created solely for the purpose of destroying someone else? I wouldn't think it would have that much knowledge."
"It's been around for several thousand years, Giles," said Spike. "There's no telling what it learned in that time."
"What about him?" Leo asked.
"Gone," said Piper. "He agreed to our deal. He turned to dust right before our eyes."
"At least he's a peace now," said Paige. "I can't imagine living as long as he did with not purpose to life at all."
"He wasn't really alive," said Leo. "He was a created being. Created out of anger and hatred."
"I know," said Paige. "But I still felt sorry for him. He never asked to be what he was."
"Whatever," Piper said. "At least we now have something to go on. Our next order of business is to locate grown up Wyatt and decide what to do about him. Oh, this is getting complicated. First there's Wyatt coming back from the future to kill his little brother. Then The First Evil shows up wanting to possess my son to turn him into the evil that's come back to kill Chris. Then these Avatars or whatever they are show up wanting to kill all of us. And to top things off, Cole, whom we thought was vanquished for good, shows up claiming to want to help us. Is it me or does this sound like a bad B movie?"
"It's not just you," said Buffy. "When we defeated The First, I thought we were finished with it forever. I've spent the last couple of months trying to figure out what to do next. When Cole showed up claiming to be this Restin with a new destiny for me, I thought I was going crazy."
"Well, it does all seem to be interrelated," said Giles. "What we've not figured out yet is what Wyatt is doing here. Admittedly, he came back to kill Chris. But other than that first attempt you told us about, he hasn't done anything. If that's why he's returned he seems to be taking his time accomplishing his goal."
"Maybe his objective has changed," said Leo. "Maybe after he got back here he decided on a different course of action."
"That's possible I suppose," said Giles. "Only we have no way of know what his objective is."
"Well," said Piper, "I'm going to get started on what we're going to do on Friday. Just in case I can't blow up The First for some reason. I have four days to come up with something and now that I know what to expect it should be easy."
"Good idea," said Leo. "I'm going to go see the Elders and let them know what you've found out."
"I'll do some research," said Giles. "Perhaps there's something we can learn that might shed some light on what he has planned."
"Okay," said Leo. "Phoebe, Paige, I'll need you to give Chris a break. We've been working pretty hard watching over him."
"No problem," said Phoebe. "At least I get some time to with my nephew. I never complain about that."
"I'll help Piper," said Willow. "Maybe we can learn something from each other."
"Great," said Piper. "I appreciate the help."
'Spike and I will go out once it gets dark again," said Angel. "Finding someone who's organizing demons should be easier than finding someone who knows about an ancient evil. If he is organizing the demonic underground it shouldn't be hard too find out who he is or where he is. We'll just pretend we want to join him."
"Bloody good idea," said Spike. "Once we're inside maybe we can take this blighter out."
"Don't even try," said Piper. "He's much too powerful for you to deal with. Just get what information you can and then get back to us with it."
"But if we get the chance," Spike protested.
"No," said Angel, "she's right. If he's as powerful as they say we wouldn't last very long against him. No, the best thing to do is find out what we can and get back here."
"I've never known you to run scared," said Spike, "no matter what you were facing."
"And I'm not now," said Angel. "But I do know when I'm in over my head. Come on, Spike. Let's get some rest so we'll be ready for tonight."
"Right, mate," said Spike. "We'll be in the basement if you need us."
They all began to prepare for their encounter with The First and to find out what they could about grown up Wyatt's plans. They also knew it was going to be a long three days.
The End
(Be sure to look for the sequel to this story "Confrontation" coming soon that will conclude the saga.)
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.
"How's Wyatt?" Piper asked as soon as they returned to the manor.
"Sleeping like a baby," said Buffy. "It's been real quiet around here. Did you find out anything?"
"Plenty," said Angel. "Apparently what Cole told us was true. At least what Lemmick could verify. Under the right circumstances The First is able to inhabit a human child."
"What circumstances?" asked Leo. "Don't worry. Chris is with Wyatt right now. If there's any trouble he'll orb Wyatt away immediately."
"Good," said Piper as they all gathered in the living room. "Well, it happens at most once every century or so. When the five inner planets are in a particular alignment. Apparently that alignment is occurring right now. From the time it starts until they pass through the alignment The First has the opportunity to take on corporeal form. And it has to join with the baby while it's still in that form."
"But there are other restrictions," said Angel. "The child must be strong enough to withstand the magic The First will infuse them with. Only certain children have that strength. And the child must be under one year of age, preferably under six months."
"Well, so far, Wyatt fits that," said Leo.
"However," said Paige, "the most important restrictions are that it can only take place on the second day of the full moon. Something about some mystical energy radiated by the moon at this time. Lemmick couldn't remember exactly what the reasoning was."
"Plus," said Phoebe, "the most opportune time is between sunset and midnight on Friday the 13th. The most effective time is just a few minutes before midnight until a few minutes after midnight."
"The so-called witching hour," said Buffy.
"Yes," said Piper. "That's supposedly when its power will be the strongest. It will be the perfect time for it to try to inhabit Wyatt."
"The full moon begins in three days," said Giles, consulting one of his books. "It's expected to be full on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday."
"And today is the 9th," said Buffy. "That makes Friday the 13th. Which means that's probably going to be when it attacks."
"That would make sense," said Leo. "It would probably wait until it's at its strongest. Now all we have to do is come up with a way to fight it when it's in its corporeal form."
"That's the best part," said Piper. "While it's in its corporeal form it's just as vulnerable as any human. It's magic is suspended until it completes the possession. Once it attacks I'll just blow it up and that will be the end of it."
"Need I remind you," said Giles, "that we aren't talking about a being. The First Evil is more a force of nature than a living creature. If you destroy its corporeal form it will simply revert back to its spirit form."
"True," said Paige, "but according to Lemmick it will destroy a lot of The Firsts' power. Make it even weaker than it is now. Which means it will take considerably longer before it can replenish that power."
"Interesting," said Giles. "And you got all this from a creature created solely for the purpose of destroying someone else? I wouldn't think it would have that much knowledge."
"It's been around for several thousand years, Giles," said Spike. "There's no telling what it learned in that time."
"What about him?" Leo asked.
"Gone," said Piper. "He agreed to our deal. He turned to dust right before our eyes."
"At least he's a peace now," said Paige. "I can't imagine living as long as he did with not purpose to life at all."
"He wasn't really alive," said Leo. "He was a created being. Created out of anger and hatred."
"I know," said Paige. "But I still felt sorry for him. He never asked to be what he was."
"Whatever," Piper said. "At least we now have something to go on. Our next order of business is to locate grown up Wyatt and decide what to do about him. Oh, this is getting complicated. First there's Wyatt coming back from the future to kill his little brother. Then The First Evil shows up wanting to possess my son to turn him into the evil that's come back to kill Chris. Then these Avatars or whatever they are show up wanting to kill all of us. And to top things off, Cole, whom we thought was vanquished for good, shows up claiming to want to help us. Is it me or does this sound like a bad B movie?"
"It's not just you," said Buffy. "When we defeated The First, I thought we were finished with it forever. I've spent the last couple of months trying to figure out what to do next. When Cole showed up claiming to be this Restin with a new destiny for me, I thought I was going crazy."
"Well, it does all seem to be interrelated," said Giles. "What we've not figured out yet is what Wyatt is doing here. Admittedly, he came back to kill Chris. But other than that first attempt you told us about, he hasn't done anything. If that's why he's returned he seems to be taking his time accomplishing his goal."
"Maybe his objective has changed," said Leo. "Maybe after he got back here he decided on a different course of action."
"That's possible I suppose," said Giles. "Only we have no way of know what his objective is."
"Well," said Piper, "I'm going to get started on what we're going to do on Friday. Just in case I can't blow up The First for some reason. I have four days to come up with something and now that I know what to expect it should be easy."
"Good idea," said Leo. "I'm going to go see the Elders and let them know what you've found out."
"I'll do some research," said Giles. "Perhaps there's something we can learn that might shed some light on what he has planned."
"Okay," said Leo. "Phoebe, Paige, I'll need you to give Chris a break. We've been working pretty hard watching over him."
"No problem," said Phoebe. "At least I get some time to with my nephew. I never complain about that."
"I'll help Piper," said Willow. "Maybe we can learn something from each other."
"Great," said Piper. "I appreciate the help."
'Spike and I will go out once it gets dark again," said Angel. "Finding someone who's organizing demons should be easier than finding someone who knows about an ancient evil. If he is organizing the demonic underground it shouldn't be hard too find out who he is or where he is. We'll just pretend we want to join him."
"Bloody good idea," said Spike. "Once we're inside maybe we can take this blighter out."
"Don't even try," said Piper. "He's much too powerful for you to deal with. Just get what information you can and then get back to us with it."
"But if we get the chance," Spike protested.
"No," said Angel, "she's right. If he's as powerful as they say we wouldn't last very long against him. No, the best thing to do is find out what we can and get back here."
"I've never known you to run scared," said Spike, "no matter what you were facing."
"And I'm not now," said Angel. "But I do know when I'm in over my head. Come on, Spike. Let's get some rest so we'll be ready for tonight."
"Right, mate," said Spike. "We'll be in the basement if you need us."
They all began to prepare for their encounter with The First and to find out what they could about grown up Wyatt's plans. They also knew it was going to be a long three days.
The End
(Be sure to look for the sequel to this story "Confrontation" coming soon that will conclude the saga.)
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.