TWENTY-TWO
The next day dawned just as bright and cloudless as the rest of the days in this realm. It was just after sunup when the owner of the boarding house they were staying in woke them up. The festivities planned for the day were numerous and the entire village was bustling with activity.
Last minute preparations were being made for the wedding. By noon most of the villagers were gathering in the village square. Cole and Margaret took up positions near the back of the crowd. Piper and Paige took up positions near the platform that had been constructed to one side of the square. Margaret told them that was where Phoebe and the wedding party would be. Leo was invisible but waited near Cole and Margaret just in case they needed some "supernatural" distraction.
It was just a few minutes before noon when the wedding party stepped up onto the platform. One was obviously Gastion. He was in his demonic form that they all recognized from the spell Paige had cast. Standing to one side and slightly behind Gastion were Phoebe and three attendants. All of the attendants were demonis females.
On the platform near the center on the front was a makeshift podium. Standing behind the podium was a male demonis dressed in official-looking robes. He was wearing a medallion that identified him as some form of authority. Margaret said he was what passed for a mayor in this realm. He would be the one officiating at the wedding.
"Fellow villagers," announced the mayor. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of our most magnificent leader, Lemteck, and his bride, Menashaw. This is a glorious day for our village. We wish for great tidings and a long life for the beloved couple.
"Lemteck. You have brought your bride before us so that we may witness this wondrous union. You honor us. I ask you now in the presence of all these witnesses. Do you accept the union between you and Menashaw? A union that shall bind you so long as you both live?"
"I accept the union," said Gastion.
"We witness your acceptance of this union," said the mayor. "By her appearance here today, Menashaw demonstrates her acceptance of this union. As overseer of this ceremony it is my very distinct honor to proclaim them bound, now and for all time. May their union provide them with many years of happiness and be fruitful."
"Excuse me," said Cole. "What happened to 'if anyone knows why they shouldn't be married'? Isn't that supposed to be part of the ceremony?"
"Who dares interrupt the ceremony?" demanded the mayor. "Such insolence and disrespect will not be tolerated."
"Oh, I think it will be," said Cole, moving to the front of the crowd. "Hello, Gastion. It's been a long time."
"Belthazor?" questioned Gastion. "Can it truly be you? I had heard you vanquished."
"I got better," said Cole. "Nice setup you have here. Undisputed ruler of this little village. I guess that's better than the Émigré you were banished to."
"You have no idea," said Gastion. "Here, there is no one to oppose me. They all worship me nearly as a deity. It's so much better than the petty squabbles and bickering of the underworld."
"Yeah, well, you've made one small miscalculation," said Cole. "The human you've kidnapped is no ordinary human. She's a Charmed One. And my ex-wife."
"A Charmed One?" questioned Gastion. "How simply wonderful. I had no idea. It does explain some things, though."
As Cole and Gastion were talking, Piper and Paige moved up behind Phoebe. Piper reached out and took Phoebe by the arm.
"Phoebe, it's me, Piper," said Piper. "Come on, let's get you out of here."
"Who are you?" demanded Phoebe pulling away from Piper. "Lemteck, what's going on here? Who are these people?"
"Paige, a little help here," said Piper.
"So, that's what you're doing here," exclaimed Gastion. "You've come to steal my bride from me. I'm not going to let that happen."
"We've just come to return Phoebe to where she belongs," said Cole. "You'd be wise not to fight me on this, Gastion. You wouldn't like the outcome."
"Lemteck," asked the mayor, "who are these gadlings? Why do they dare interrupt this ceremony?"
"I'm no gadling," said Cole. "I'm a demon just like Gastion. And the gadling he's about to marry isn't here of her own accord. He kidnapped her and I've come to take her home."
"Stay out of this, Prothick," said Gastion. "This is my insult. I'll handle it."
"As you wish, Master," said the mayor.
As the three were talking Paige moved up and grabbed Phoebe by the arm. Piper also reached out and took her by the other arm intent on dragging her kicking and screaming, if necessary, from the platform. The second Piper and Paige touched Phoebe all three were covered in a glow. Phoebe shook her head a couple of times and looked around.
"Piper?" questioned Phoebe. "Paige? What's going on? Where am I? And what the hell is this I'm wearing?"
"No," screamed Gastion. "I won't let you ruin this. I didn't know she was a Charmed One when I took her. Now that I know I cannot allow you to take her. She will provide me with a powerful heir."
"Give it up, Gastion," said Cole. "You could never stand up against me. Don't make me do something you'll regret later."
"You fool," said Gastion. "You think I'm a total dupe? Your human half has made you weak. The fact that you have not assumed your demonic form proves that. You try to suppress it. I, on the other hand, embrace my demonic heritage. It gives me great power. It may be true that in the past you were more powerful than I. But that was on the mortal realm. Here, it is I who am the more powerful."
"Don't press it," said Cole. "I'm trying to give you the option to relinquish her without being vanquished. But I won't ask again."
Suddenly, Gastion formed a fireball and cast it at Cole. The weapon struck Cole forcing him back. Those gathered for the wedding began to scramble for safety out of the way of the opponents.
"You're warning me?" said Gastion. "That proves your weakness. No true demon would do such a thing. It is not our way. If you had truly planned to take her by force we would not be having this discussion. You would have vanquished me and taken her. And we both know that in your human form you have no powers."
Gastion cast another fireball at Cole knocking him to the ground again. Normally, one of the weapons should have vanquished a non-magical being. In his human form Cole had no demonic powers and was, for all intents and purposes, a non-magical being. His half demonic DNA was affording him some protection. But that protection wouldn't last long. Gastion cast another fireball at Cole.
"I know of your past, Belthazor," said Gastion. "How you were sent by the Triad to vanquish these sisters. How you fell in love. Imagine, a demon falling in love. That love has weakened you. Once you were feared throughout the underworld. Now, a witch has taken that from you. Made you one of them. A weak, pathetic human."
Gastion cast another fireball at Cole knocking him to the ground. Cole tried to rise but was weakened too much. The attacks by Gastion were taking their toll. The protection afforded by his half demonic was nearly gone. Cole knew that one more attack would finish him. Gastion formed another fireball and raised his hand.
"It's a shame," said Gastion. "Together, we could have ruled this realm. Now, you will die as a weak pathetic human."
Gastion just smiled and cast the fireball at Cole, content that his opponent was about to be vanquished.
The next day dawned just as bright and cloudless as the rest of the days in this realm. It was just after sunup when the owner of the boarding house they were staying in woke them up. The festivities planned for the day were numerous and the entire village was bustling with activity.
Last minute preparations were being made for the wedding. By noon most of the villagers were gathering in the village square. Cole and Margaret took up positions near the back of the crowd. Piper and Paige took up positions near the platform that had been constructed to one side of the square. Margaret told them that was where Phoebe and the wedding party would be. Leo was invisible but waited near Cole and Margaret just in case they needed some "supernatural" distraction.
It was just a few minutes before noon when the wedding party stepped up onto the platform. One was obviously Gastion. He was in his demonic form that they all recognized from the spell Paige had cast. Standing to one side and slightly behind Gastion were Phoebe and three attendants. All of the attendants were demonis females.
On the platform near the center on the front was a makeshift podium. Standing behind the podium was a male demonis dressed in official-looking robes. He was wearing a medallion that identified him as some form of authority. Margaret said he was what passed for a mayor in this realm. He would be the one officiating at the wedding.
"Fellow villagers," announced the mayor. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of our most magnificent leader, Lemteck, and his bride, Menashaw. This is a glorious day for our village. We wish for great tidings and a long life for the beloved couple.
"Lemteck. You have brought your bride before us so that we may witness this wondrous union. You honor us. I ask you now in the presence of all these witnesses. Do you accept the union between you and Menashaw? A union that shall bind you so long as you both live?"
"I accept the union," said Gastion.
"We witness your acceptance of this union," said the mayor. "By her appearance here today, Menashaw demonstrates her acceptance of this union. As overseer of this ceremony it is my very distinct honor to proclaim them bound, now and for all time. May their union provide them with many years of happiness and be fruitful."
"Excuse me," said Cole. "What happened to 'if anyone knows why they shouldn't be married'? Isn't that supposed to be part of the ceremony?"
"Who dares interrupt the ceremony?" demanded the mayor. "Such insolence and disrespect will not be tolerated."
"Oh, I think it will be," said Cole, moving to the front of the crowd. "Hello, Gastion. It's been a long time."
"Belthazor?" questioned Gastion. "Can it truly be you? I had heard you vanquished."
"I got better," said Cole. "Nice setup you have here. Undisputed ruler of this little village. I guess that's better than the Émigré you were banished to."
"You have no idea," said Gastion. "Here, there is no one to oppose me. They all worship me nearly as a deity. It's so much better than the petty squabbles and bickering of the underworld."
"Yeah, well, you've made one small miscalculation," said Cole. "The human you've kidnapped is no ordinary human. She's a Charmed One. And my ex-wife."
"A Charmed One?" questioned Gastion. "How simply wonderful. I had no idea. It does explain some things, though."
As Cole and Gastion were talking, Piper and Paige moved up behind Phoebe. Piper reached out and took Phoebe by the arm.
"Phoebe, it's me, Piper," said Piper. "Come on, let's get you out of here."
"Who are you?" demanded Phoebe pulling away from Piper. "Lemteck, what's going on here? Who are these people?"
"Paige, a little help here," said Piper.
"So, that's what you're doing here," exclaimed Gastion. "You've come to steal my bride from me. I'm not going to let that happen."
"We've just come to return Phoebe to where she belongs," said Cole. "You'd be wise not to fight me on this, Gastion. You wouldn't like the outcome."
"Lemteck," asked the mayor, "who are these gadlings? Why do they dare interrupt this ceremony?"
"I'm no gadling," said Cole. "I'm a demon just like Gastion. And the gadling he's about to marry isn't here of her own accord. He kidnapped her and I've come to take her home."
"Stay out of this, Prothick," said Gastion. "This is my insult. I'll handle it."
"As you wish, Master," said the mayor.
As the three were talking Paige moved up and grabbed Phoebe by the arm. Piper also reached out and took her by the other arm intent on dragging her kicking and screaming, if necessary, from the platform. The second Piper and Paige touched Phoebe all three were covered in a glow. Phoebe shook her head a couple of times and looked around.
"Piper?" questioned Phoebe. "Paige? What's going on? Where am I? And what the hell is this I'm wearing?"
"No," screamed Gastion. "I won't let you ruin this. I didn't know she was a Charmed One when I took her. Now that I know I cannot allow you to take her. She will provide me with a powerful heir."
"Give it up, Gastion," said Cole. "You could never stand up against me. Don't make me do something you'll regret later."
"You fool," said Gastion. "You think I'm a total dupe? Your human half has made you weak. The fact that you have not assumed your demonic form proves that. You try to suppress it. I, on the other hand, embrace my demonic heritage. It gives me great power. It may be true that in the past you were more powerful than I. But that was on the mortal realm. Here, it is I who am the more powerful."
"Don't press it," said Cole. "I'm trying to give you the option to relinquish her without being vanquished. But I won't ask again."
Suddenly, Gastion formed a fireball and cast it at Cole. The weapon struck Cole forcing him back. Those gathered for the wedding began to scramble for safety out of the way of the opponents.
"You're warning me?" said Gastion. "That proves your weakness. No true demon would do such a thing. It is not our way. If you had truly planned to take her by force we would not be having this discussion. You would have vanquished me and taken her. And we both know that in your human form you have no powers."
Gastion cast another fireball at Cole knocking him to the ground again. Normally, one of the weapons should have vanquished a non-magical being. In his human form Cole had no demonic powers and was, for all intents and purposes, a non-magical being. His half demonic DNA was affording him some protection. But that protection wouldn't last long. Gastion cast another fireball at Cole.
"I know of your past, Belthazor," said Gastion. "How you were sent by the Triad to vanquish these sisters. How you fell in love. Imagine, a demon falling in love. That love has weakened you. Once you were feared throughout the underworld. Now, a witch has taken that from you. Made you one of them. A weak, pathetic human."
Gastion cast another fireball at Cole knocking him to the ground. Cole tried to rise but was weakened too much. The attacks by Gastion were taking their toll. The protection afforded by his half demonic was nearly gone. Cole knew that one more attack would finish him. Gastion formed another fireball and raised his hand.
"It's a shame," said Gastion. "Together, we could have ruled this realm. Now, you will die as a weak pathetic human."
Gastion just smiled and cast the fireball at Cole, content that his opponent was about to be vanquished.