THREE
Cole walked through the swirling mists of the Avatars' realm. Lucan, Mellock, and Trembor were waiting for him.
"Is it done?" asked Mellock without preamble.
"Not yet," said Cole. "I should be able to give her the potion later today. They're preparing for an attack by The First. They think it's going to attack later tonight."
"They would be correct," said Lucan. "Probably at midnight when its power will be at the greatest. It is important that the Slayer take the potion before sunset. So that she will be ready for when The First attacks. If you wait beyond sunset it will be too late."
"I've all ready spoken to her," said Cole. "I'll be able to put the potion in whatever she drinks at dinner tonight. If I understand correctly how the potion works, it will make her drowsy. She'll decide to lie down for a while and will soon be fast asleep."
"Excellent," said Trembor. "Then she will be ready for The First when it attacks. This will all be over very soon."
"What of Wyatt?" Cole asked. "What are your plans for him?"
"I assume you are talking about the adult Wyatt who has come back from the future," said Lucan.
"Of course," said Cole. "If they defeat The First tonight the child won't be possessed. But the adult Wyatt will still be here. Since he's out of his own time, the changed events won't change for him until and if he returns to the future. What do you plan to do about him?"
"Trembor, Mellock, and I will be there," said Lucan. "Once they have defeated The First, we will combine our power and send the adult Wyatt back to his own time. Once he arrives there he should revert to normal. That will end his threat to the Charmed Ones forever."
"I see," said Cole. "Sounds like a good plan. It's too bad we can't tell them what you're going to do. It would save them a lot of grief if they knew what was going on."
"And it might warn The First," said Lucan. "It's too great of a risk. Besides, it will be over soon. Then they can enjoy a long deserved rest."
"Yes, of course," said Cole. "Should I let you know when I've given Buffy the potion?"
"No," said Trembor. "You've demonstrated that you can handle assignments on your own. It would be best if you remained at the manor until we arrived. But take care not to be seen by the Charmed Ones. That could cause additional problems we aren't equipped to deal with just yet."
"Don't worry," said Cole. "Buffy asked me if I was Cole. I told her that the Charmed Ones vanquished Cole Turner. And that I couldn't be him if he had been vanquished."
"And did she believe you?" asked Mellock.
"Of course," said Cole. "A little double talk to confuse the issue. I told her the truth just not all of it. She's a Slayer. There are many things she doesn't know about magic. Like a demon with a soul is protected from the Wasteland. She told the Charmed Ones what I said. They seemed satisfied that I was someone else."
"Excellent," said Lucan. "You should be going. It wouldn't do to miss your opportunity when time is so crucial."
"Yes," said Cole. "I'll wait to see you this evening."
"I still say we should have someone watching him," said Mellock as Cole walked away. "To make sure there are no complications."
"Nonsense," said Trembor. "His assistance with the Slayer in Sunnydale has proven he's reliable. It would be an insult to continue to watch him after he's proven himself."
"Besides," said Lucan, "as an Avatar he would sense anyone watching him even one of us. It would be counterproductive."
"Only a few more hours," said Mellock. "A few more hours and everything we've worked for will come to fruition."
"Yes," said Lucan. "Come. We must prepare for this evening. In the morning things will be as they should be."
The three Avatars moved off to prepare for the coming battle.
* * *
Cole finally had the final piece of the puzzle. He had figured out nearly everything except for one crucial piece of information. When the Avatars planned to put their plan into action. Tonight at midnight would be that time. He had suspected as much. But now he knew for sure.
Lucan, Mellock, and Trembor would be preparing for the coming battle. He would need to prepare as well. Buffy and the girls already knew he was still alive. They may not trust him but his arrival tonight would not come as a total surprise. But before he went to the manor he had to make one quick stop.
There was one little aspect of the Wasteland that few knew. Phoebe had sent her astral form there to say goodbye to him. It was the only way for a non-demon to enter the Wasteland. Only a demon, or partial demon, could physically enter the Wasteland. Not even the Avatars had the power to circumvent that restriction.
But he was no ordinary Avatar. He was half demon. Even as an Avatar he would have no problem entering the Wasteland. Cattarrin, the ruler of the Wasteland, and the Beast would be little problem for him. Cattarrin would be busy with other matters. And the Beast posed not threat. His powers as an Avatar would protect him from it.
He thought about what he was planning. Not in his wildest dreams did he ever think his life would come to this. Maybe when this was all over he'd search out others like himself. Offer them the freedom that he himself would soon have. Freedom and peace that he had never known.
Confidently Cole vanished from the Avatar's realm to make his preparations. Before the sun rose on Halliwell Manor in the morning things would be as they should be. And not even the great power of the Avatars would be able to stop him.
Cole walked through the swirling mists of the Avatars' realm. Lucan, Mellock, and Trembor were waiting for him.
"Is it done?" asked Mellock without preamble.
"Not yet," said Cole. "I should be able to give her the potion later today. They're preparing for an attack by The First. They think it's going to attack later tonight."
"They would be correct," said Lucan. "Probably at midnight when its power will be at the greatest. It is important that the Slayer take the potion before sunset. So that she will be ready for when The First attacks. If you wait beyond sunset it will be too late."
"I've all ready spoken to her," said Cole. "I'll be able to put the potion in whatever she drinks at dinner tonight. If I understand correctly how the potion works, it will make her drowsy. She'll decide to lie down for a while and will soon be fast asleep."
"Excellent," said Trembor. "Then she will be ready for The First when it attacks. This will all be over very soon."
"What of Wyatt?" Cole asked. "What are your plans for him?"
"I assume you are talking about the adult Wyatt who has come back from the future," said Lucan.
"Of course," said Cole. "If they defeat The First tonight the child won't be possessed. But the adult Wyatt will still be here. Since he's out of his own time, the changed events won't change for him until and if he returns to the future. What do you plan to do about him?"
"Trembor, Mellock, and I will be there," said Lucan. "Once they have defeated The First, we will combine our power and send the adult Wyatt back to his own time. Once he arrives there he should revert to normal. That will end his threat to the Charmed Ones forever."
"I see," said Cole. "Sounds like a good plan. It's too bad we can't tell them what you're going to do. It would save them a lot of grief if they knew what was going on."
"And it might warn The First," said Lucan. "It's too great of a risk. Besides, it will be over soon. Then they can enjoy a long deserved rest."
"Yes, of course," said Cole. "Should I let you know when I've given Buffy the potion?"
"No," said Trembor. "You've demonstrated that you can handle assignments on your own. It would be best if you remained at the manor until we arrived. But take care not to be seen by the Charmed Ones. That could cause additional problems we aren't equipped to deal with just yet."
"Don't worry," said Cole. "Buffy asked me if I was Cole. I told her that the Charmed Ones vanquished Cole Turner. And that I couldn't be him if he had been vanquished."
"And did she believe you?" asked Mellock.
"Of course," said Cole. "A little double talk to confuse the issue. I told her the truth just not all of it. She's a Slayer. There are many things she doesn't know about magic. Like a demon with a soul is protected from the Wasteland. She told the Charmed Ones what I said. They seemed satisfied that I was someone else."
"Excellent," said Lucan. "You should be going. It wouldn't do to miss your opportunity when time is so crucial."
"Yes," said Cole. "I'll wait to see you this evening."
"I still say we should have someone watching him," said Mellock as Cole walked away. "To make sure there are no complications."
"Nonsense," said Trembor. "His assistance with the Slayer in Sunnydale has proven he's reliable. It would be an insult to continue to watch him after he's proven himself."
"Besides," said Lucan, "as an Avatar he would sense anyone watching him even one of us. It would be counterproductive."
"Only a few more hours," said Mellock. "A few more hours and everything we've worked for will come to fruition."
"Yes," said Lucan. "Come. We must prepare for this evening. In the morning things will be as they should be."
The three Avatars moved off to prepare for the coming battle.
* * *
Cole finally had the final piece of the puzzle. He had figured out nearly everything except for one crucial piece of information. When the Avatars planned to put their plan into action. Tonight at midnight would be that time. He had suspected as much. But now he knew for sure.
Lucan, Mellock, and Trembor would be preparing for the coming battle. He would need to prepare as well. Buffy and the girls already knew he was still alive. They may not trust him but his arrival tonight would not come as a total surprise. But before he went to the manor he had to make one quick stop.
There was one little aspect of the Wasteland that few knew. Phoebe had sent her astral form there to say goodbye to him. It was the only way for a non-demon to enter the Wasteland. Only a demon, or partial demon, could physically enter the Wasteland. Not even the Avatars had the power to circumvent that restriction.
But he was no ordinary Avatar. He was half demon. Even as an Avatar he would have no problem entering the Wasteland. Cattarrin, the ruler of the Wasteland, and the Beast would be little problem for him. Cattarrin would be busy with other matters. And the Beast posed not threat. His powers as an Avatar would protect him from it.
He thought about what he was planning. Not in his wildest dreams did he ever think his life would come to this. Maybe when this was all over he'd search out others like himself. Offer them the freedom that he himself would soon have. Freedom and peace that he had never known.
Confidently Cole vanished from the Avatar's realm to make his preparations. Before the sun rose on Halliwell Manor in the morning things would be as they should be. And not even the great power of the Avatars would be able to stop him.
