I'm sorry about how short the last chapter was. I wanted it to be short to
match the story, but what with charmedfanatic3000, who would lynch me for
that decision, loose, I couldn't risk it. At least not without a double
update!
Enjoy, and don't forget to REVIEW!
Chapter 11: The Paths we take
Deep beneath the earth, in a place darker than the darkest night, where evil hang thick in the air, a hooded figure sat on a black marble throne. With a flick of his wrist torches lining the Great Hall he was in, were lit. The fire cast some light into the Hall, yet it was a sickly light. The hooded cloak, that the figure on the throne wore, seemed to absorb most of the light and warmth of the fire.
A demon shimmered into the Great hall in front of the seated figure. The man looked to be in his early fifties. A clever deception, since he was at least six times as old. His hair was a distinguished gray and his eyes were blue and reminded one of cold, unyielding, steel. He too wore a cloak and, though his head was uncovered, his too had a hood. Yet his cloak had nothing of the hidden power that the cloak worn by the figure on the throne had. The old man bowed elegantly to the figure on the throne and stood elegantly before it, waiting for it to speak.
The figure on the throne finally removed its hood to reveal a head of think, dark hair and a pair of piercing, brown eyes. This man seemed to be made of sheer power and the air around him crackled. His mouth curved into a sad smile as he greeted the man that stood before him.
"Hello Xander my old friend," spoke Cole.
"Your highness," said Xander, hesitating for a while before continuing, "I heard the news. They say the princess Talia escaped the Underworld and joined the side of good. Joined the Charmed Ones. Is it true?"
"Yes, it's true," answered Cole, resignation evident in his voice.
"I'm sorry, sir."
A silence issued between the two men as they each allowed themselves to wallow in the memory of the little girl they had watched grow into a beautiful woman. The only ray of sunshine in their world of darkness.
It was Cole who broke the silence. The softness that had rested on his face but a moment ago was gone. His eyes were once more cold as ice and his voice was filled with authority as he said, "Is the Council here yet?"
"They are waiting outside, my liege, for you to summon them."
"Let them in then," said Cole.
Obediently, the older man walked to the heavy doors of the Hall and dragged them open with both hands, without some effort.
The other eleven members of the Evil Council filed in quietly. There were thirteen including Xander and Cole. Talia's escape to the other side would be a point of conversation tonight. Cole had no illusions. Any sign of weakness would be pounced on immediately. He had to appear to be at his most powerful, most ruthless, if he hoped to maintain his position - and life.
The eleven bowed to the Source with apparent respect. The truth was that, with the exception of perhaps Xander, not one of them would hesitate to rid the world of him and take his place. The only thing that held them in check was fear.
One of the men that had entered, stepped forward bravely. They had actually drawn lots on who would bring up the most sensitive and inevitable topic of conversation for this meeting. A token of the fear the Source instilled in them. No one in the Council wanted to anger him. They had all heard the stories of his rise to power and the demons he had killed ruthlessly and indiscreetly on his way up. He made sure that his presence - and power - was being felt by all who served him, at all times.
"Sire," said the man hesitatingly, "there have been vicious rumours in the Underworld, and it is our duty to draw your attention to them."
The demon licked his lips nervously. A single bead of sweat ran down his face. Cole relished the sight of the terrified demon. The silence that followed his statement pressed the man to continue.
"They say that the Princess Talia has left the Underworld and joined the Charmed Ones to fight against Evil."
The words came out in a rush. The eleven men standing in a semi circle around the marble throne held their breath. Even Xander, standing next to the throne, was nervously waiting for the Source's reaction.
Cole looked straight into the eyes of the man who had spoken. Tension seemed to vibrate in the throne room and the Great Hall suddenly felt strangely small. The moments that passed seemed like years. When Cole finally spoke, his voice thundered and echoed through the ancient chambers of the Source's underground palace.
"The Princess Talia is dead to me and all who serve me. She has joined the other side. She fights with Good now and that makes her an enemy, and a traitor. The Source has no tolerance for traitors and the demon who brings me this traitor, dead or alive, shall be richly rewarded."
The men froze at their leader's pronouncement. Not only were the rumours true, a fact that many had, until now, refused to believe, but they had just heard the Source order the death of his own flesh and blood, his only daughter. The same daughter that many had decided was this Source's only weakness. The same daughter that many had believed he loved, despite how much against the Source's nature that would be. Some stared at him with admiration, some with hate; either way one thing was certain. The Source's power, control and dominion were confirmed.
********************
When all the members of the Evil Council were shown out of the Great Hall by Xander, Cole sagged in the marble throne he sat on. His head drooped against his chest and he seemed to shrink to a figure more different to the one he had presented moments ago, than ever thought possible. In less than seconds all the hundreds of years of existence, that had kept their bay from his handsome and seemingly youthful face, had came to haunt him with a vengeance. He seemed more old and tired than, even the Source, had the right to be.
Xander reentered the Great Hall as quietly as a church mouse. The old man's heart sunk as he took in his master's slumped form. What he felt for the younger man were not emotions one would expect from a demon. He stood before the figure on the throne uncertain of what to do next, yet knowing only that he wanted more than anything to help.
Cole finally took notice of the old man who stood at the bottom of the stairs leading up to his throne. Xander looked at him with pity in his eyes, an emotion the blue orbs were not used to conveying. An emotion Cole was not used to seeing in people's eyes when they looked at him. Cole straightened his back and raised his eyes to meet Xander's so that he presented at least a shadow of his former self. When he spoke, his voice did not lack authority.
"Is there something else you wish to talk to me about, Xander?" he asked coldly.
"It had to done, sire," Xander answered. "Talia will understand."
"Understand what? That I've just ordered her death? How can any child understand that of their parent?" His voice echoed with bitterness and self- loathing.
There was no answer the old man could give to that.
"Leave me. I wish to be alone," he ordered.
Xander bowed deeply and left the Hall as quietly as he entered it. When he was gone, Cole waved his hand dismissively and all the torches were extinguished plunging the room in darkness. In the dark he willed the tears to come, but the tears had deserted him a long times ago.
Enjoy, and don't forget to REVIEW!
Chapter 11: The Paths we take
Deep beneath the earth, in a place darker than the darkest night, where evil hang thick in the air, a hooded figure sat on a black marble throne. With a flick of his wrist torches lining the Great Hall he was in, were lit. The fire cast some light into the Hall, yet it was a sickly light. The hooded cloak, that the figure on the throne wore, seemed to absorb most of the light and warmth of the fire.
A demon shimmered into the Great hall in front of the seated figure. The man looked to be in his early fifties. A clever deception, since he was at least six times as old. His hair was a distinguished gray and his eyes were blue and reminded one of cold, unyielding, steel. He too wore a cloak and, though his head was uncovered, his too had a hood. Yet his cloak had nothing of the hidden power that the cloak worn by the figure on the throne had. The old man bowed elegantly to the figure on the throne and stood elegantly before it, waiting for it to speak.
The figure on the throne finally removed its hood to reveal a head of think, dark hair and a pair of piercing, brown eyes. This man seemed to be made of sheer power and the air around him crackled. His mouth curved into a sad smile as he greeted the man that stood before him.
"Hello Xander my old friend," spoke Cole.
"Your highness," said Xander, hesitating for a while before continuing, "I heard the news. They say the princess Talia escaped the Underworld and joined the side of good. Joined the Charmed Ones. Is it true?"
"Yes, it's true," answered Cole, resignation evident in his voice.
"I'm sorry, sir."
A silence issued between the two men as they each allowed themselves to wallow in the memory of the little girl they had watched grow into a beautiful woman. The only ray of sunshine in their world of darkness.
It was Cole who broke the silence. The softness that had rested on his face but a moment ago was gone. His eyes were once more cold as ice and his voice was filled with authority as he said, "Is the Council here yet?"
"They are waiting outside, my liege, for you to summon them."
"Let them in then," said Cole.
Obediently, the older man walked to the heavy doors of the Hall and dragged them open with both hands, without some effort.
The other eleven members of the Evil Council filed in quietly. There were thirteen including Xander and Cole. Talia's escape to the other side would be a point of conversation tonight. Cole had no illusions. Any sign of weakness would be pounced on immediately. He had to appear to be at his most powerful, most ruthless, if he hoped to maintain his position - and life.
The eleven bowed to the Source with apparent respect. The truth was that, with the exception of perhaps Xander, not one of them would hesitate to rid the world of him and take his place. The only thing that held them in check was fear.
One of the men that had entered, stepped forward bravely. They had actually drawn lots on who would bring up the most sensitive and inevitable topic of conversation for this meeting. A token of the fear the Source instilled in them. No one in the Council wanted to anger him. They had all heard the stories of his rise to power and the demons he had killed ruthlessly and indiscreetly on his way up. He made sure that his presence - and power - was being felt by all who served him, at all times.
"Sire," said the man hesitatingly, "there have been vicious rumours in the Underworld, and it is our duty to draw your attention to them."
The demon licked his lips nervously. A single bead of sweat ran down his face. Cole relished the sight of the terrified demon. The silence that followed his statement pressed the man to continue.
"They say that the Princess Talia has left the Underworld and joined the Charmed Ones to fight against Evil."
The words came out in a rush. The eleven men standing in a semi circle around the marble throne held their breath. Even Xander, standing next to the throne, was nervously waiting for the Source's reaction.
Cole looked straight into the eyes of the man who had spoken. Tension seemed to vibrate in the throne room and the Great Hall suddenly felt strangely small. The moments that passed seemed like years. When Cole finally spoke, his voice thundered and echoed through the ancient chambers of the Source's underground palace.
"The Princess Talia is dead to me and all who serve me. She has joined the other side. She fights with Good now and that makes her an enemy, and a traitor. The Source has no tolerance for traitors and the demon who brings me this traitor, dead or alive, shall be richly rewarded."
The men froze at their leader's pronouncement. Not only were the rumours true, a fact that many had, until now, refused to believe, but they had just heard the Source order the death of his own flesh and blood, his only daughter. The same daughter that many had decided was this Source's only weakness. The same daughter that many had believed he loved, despite how much against the Source's nature that would be. Some stared at him with admiration, some with hate; either way one thing was certain. The Source's power, control and dominion were confirmed.
********************
When all the members of the Evil Council were shown out of the Great Hall by Xander, Cole sagged in the marble throne he sat on. His head drooped against his chest and he seemed to shrink to a figure more different to the one he had presented moments ago, than ever thought possible. In less than seconds all the hundreds of years of existence, that had kept their bay from his handsome and seemingly youthful face, had came to haunt him with a vengeance. He seemed more old and tired than, even the Source, had the right to be.
Xander reentered the Great Hall as quietly as a church mouse. The old man's heart sunk as he took in his master's slumped form. What he felt for the younger man were not emotions one would expect from a demon. He stood before the figure on the throne uncertain of what to do next, yet knowing only that he wanted more than anything to help.
Cole finally took notice of the old man who stood at the bottom of the stairs leading up to his throne. Xander looked at him with pity in his eyes, an emotion the blue orbs were not used to conveying. An emotion Cole was not used to seeing in people's eyes when they looked at him. Cole straightened his back and raised his eyes to meet Xander's so that he presented at least a shadow of his former self. When he spoke, his voice did not lack authority.
"Is there something else you wish to talk to me about, Xander?" he asked coldly.
"It had to done, sire," Xander answered. "Talia will understand."
"Understand what? That I've just ordered her death? How can any child understand that of their parent?" His voice echoed with bitterness and self- loathing.
There was no answer the old man could give to that.
"Leave me. I wish to be alone," he ordered.
Xander bowed deeply and left the Hall as quietly as he entered it. When he was gone, Cole waved his hand dismissively and all the torches were extinguished plunging the room in darkness. In the dark he willed the tears to come, but the tears had deserted him a long times ago.