Chapter 5
Chris and Nathan orbed to the campsite, not far from where Mr. Wilmington Senior had been killed. The two men walked over to the spot where the murder had taken place. It just looked like a bare patch of ground now, since it was no longer cordoned off as the police had finished looking for evidence there. Chris knelt on the ground and put his hands on it, hoping it would give him a premonition.
"Anything?" asked Nathan impatiently. He was unable to help much as all Whitelighters had the same powers and those didn't include the ability to receive premonitions. He knew that premonitions came on very quickly and didn't always last very long, so Chris could've already received a short one without Nathan knowing.
"No, not yet; why don't you see if you can find any evidence that might've been missed?" suggested Chris. He didn't want help while he was trying to get a premonition, so would prefer if Nathan left him alone for a while.
Nathan started walking around, examining the ground for any evidence that might still be there. He knew that Chris had only given him the job to get him off his back.
"Nathan?" asked a mature female voice, startling the man.
Nathan turned to face the voice, as it had come from behind him. "Gloria? What are you doing here?" he asked the solid ghost of Mrs. Potter, five of his charges' adoptive mother, who stood there. Ghosts could choose to take on a solid appearance in front of anyone who believed in them. Relatives of the deceased - whether they believed in ghosts or not - could always see them when the ghosts came to visit solid or otherwise.
"I have been sent because the Elders have more information for you," answered the woman, who looked slightly nervous because of what she was leading up to telling them.
"Mom?" asked Chris in disbelief, as he stood a short distance away, looking at the ghost of his adoptive mother. He had been living with Gloria and Terrence since he had been rescued at age two, so the Potters were like real parents to him by the time they died. He had been distressed by their deaths and it had changed him forever. Terrence had visited before, but Gloria had never come to visit them as a ghost and he had never expected to see her again.
"Hello Chris, I'm not here for long, I'm afraid. Please listen carefully because this information from the Elders is critical," said Gloria, keeping all emotion out of her voice. "Buck's father was a witch, meaning that Buck has magical powers as well. He doesn't know yet though - his non-magical mother got his father to bind them when Buck was just a toddler. Now that Buck's father is dead, his son's powers will automatically become unbound when his mother dies. The demon stole Buck's father's powers when he killed him and he wants to get Buck's as well. We think that's why Buck's mom moved - to hide from the demons so they can't kill her and unbind her son's powers. As long as she's alive, Buck can't get his powers automatically, and no demons have any reason to touch him until they can sense he has his powers."
"He's not in danger then?" asked Chris with relief in his voice. They would just have to protect Mrs. Wilmington instead.
"Not unless they find his mother and kill her. The Elders think the demon doesn't know that Buck's powers would be unbound if his mother was killed, otherwise it would have already found and killed her. Now his father is dead though, there is no other way to unbind Buck's powers - only the father could do it manually. Unless his mother dies before the demons find out how to unbind Buck's powers, Buck won't be able to learn to control his powers in time to protect himself and avenge his father's death. Also, if Buck had his powers it would lure the demon to him, then it could be vanquished. Only a magical relative of one of his victims can kill the demon."
Chris sighed - this was very bad. Neither he nor his brothers could vanquish this demon unless it killed one of the others first. So only Buck or another magical relative of the late Mr. Wilmington could vanquish the demon - and Buck couldn't do it without first having his magic powers being unbound. Chris remembered when they'd found information about Buck in the government records - there hadn't been many Wilmingtons listed, as Buck's father and Buck were both only-children. Any other Wilmingtons might not be magical, so Buck would likely be their only hope to kill this demon.
"Wasn't there a 'Plan B' in case Buck's father died without unbinding his powers?" asked Nathan. It didn't make sense for there not to be another way for Buck to become a witch like he was destined to be. "Killing his mother to unbind his powers isn't viable."
"No, they didn't think they'd need one obviously," answered Gloria. She was upset that there was no other way for the son to get his powers. It would be very upsetting for Buck if his mom died just so he could have his powers. "I'm afraid it is Mrs. Wilmington's fate to die to help her son - the power-binding spell has to be very powerful so that the powers won't be unbound for the wrong reasons - so not even the oh-so-powerful Elders can unbind Buck's powers."
"What if we could find a relative of another of the demon's victims? One who IS a powerful witch," suggested Chris - although he didn't know how they would find another victim, as there was unlikely to be any evidence for any related murders either. If he was able to touch something relating to other victims of the same demon he could get a past premonition and hopefully be able to see enough to ID a victim and work out their relatives from there.
"People are given powers for a reason - so they can use them to protect the world from evil. It is Buck's destiny to gain his powers for that reason. The Elders cannot find another way to help Buck unbind his powers, so his mother must die for the cause." Gloria disappeared before her son or the Whitelighter could argue - it would make her feel even guiltier after she'd done what had to be done if she talked about it more.
CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7
Bianca Wilmington studied her face in the mirror - the wrinkles weren't on a lot of women her age. Due to worrying when her late-husband constantly had to deal with dangerous magical beings, getting early wrinkles had been her fate. Then she picked up a comb and started combing her long and silky, medium-brown hair.
She was startled when a woman with short dark hair, which was slightly greying, suddenly appeared behind her - although she was used to that kind of thing happening by now. "What do you want?" she asked in a shaky voice. She had thought she'd escaped from magic by moving away from her family's home.
"I need to help your son - unfortunately, there is only one way remaining for him to get back his powers he needs to become a witch," answered Gloria Potter.
"I refuse to help Buck become a witch - it's too dangerous. My husband died because of what he did and I won't have my son suffering the same fate." Bianca was angry - she didn't want her son to become a witch, but now some strange woman wanted Buck to get his magic powers.
"My name is Gloria Potter and my sons are powerful male witches. They will help him start along the road to his destiny; there is great strength in numbers," reassured Gloria with unwavering confidence in her voice. "He has to have his powers so that he can vanquish the demon that killed his father - before it kills more witches and takes their powers like it took his father's. When the demon finds out that he can unbind your son's powers by killing you, he will come after you, and without a doubt, succeed in his mission. Then he will go straight to Buck and kill him, before your son has a chance to learn how to use his powers. If Buck can become experienced with his powers before the demon goes after him, he has a chance of vanquishing it."
Bianca put the comb down on her dressing table and turned to face Gloria. Buck's mother wore a scared expression on her face. "I have to die either way don't I? That's why you're here - to protect Buck and give him his powers. You have to kill me now, don't you?" Bianca's voice was very shaky, showing how scared she really was - she was terrified of death, but she knew it would happen sooner or later.
"I'm sorry, Bianca - but you must know that it is for the power of good and you will go to Heaven for your selflessness. There is no alternative solution. Your death will be quick and painless, I promise." Gloria's voice remained gentle throughout - preparing someone for death was something one needed to do gently; not that she'd ever done it before. In most cases, the Elders wouldn't even consider killing a good person, but if it was to protect many others and there was no other solution, then it was allowed.
"I'm ready." Bianca stood as confidently as she could manage, waiting for the inevitable - she wanted to help her son, and if it meant dying for him, then she would do it. She loved Buck a lot and couldn't bear for him to die - especially not if she could die to save him. She believed in Heaven and was sure they'd let her watch Buck from there.
Gloria raised her hands. A small flash of bright, white light struck Bianca from above and the woman fell to the ground, dead before she even impacted with it. It all happened too quickly for Bianca to feel any pain. At least Bianca would be able to see her much-missed husband again, thought Gloria.
CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7
Buck's morning was busy; as Mr. Anderson gave him more work as soon as each task was completed. Lunch-time soon came and Buck felt a strong desire to phone his mom, who didn't work daylight hours at her factory job.
Bianca's bedroom phone kept ringing; the woman dead on that room's floor. No-one was in the house so no-one heard the phone ring or knew that Bianca was dead.
Buck replaced the phone's handset in the cradle, disappointed that his mom wasn't at home - he'd have to try again later.
Ezra came into the office rattling his car-keys, ready to take Buck to a local cafe for lunch. It wasn't usually somewhere the stylish half-demon would want to eat, but while he was being the working-class 'Eddie', it was in character for him to eat there.
"Eddie? Can you try and remind me to call Mom later?" requested Buck. "She was out just now and I really want to find out if she knows when she can visit yet."
"Of course, Buck. I hope she can visit you soon. It is important to see your family whenever you can because you never know how much time you or they have left in this world," said Ezra. He was well aware of people's mortality and if he was in contact with his own mother he would make sure he saw or spoke to her a lot. He kept in constant contact with his brothers, trying to phone them from work at least once a day. After the Potters had died, Ezra had felt guilty for not being more appreciative of his adoptive parents' efforts to bring him up, so had tried to make up for it by showing how much he appreciated his adopted brothers being there for him. 'You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone,' was indeed accurate, Ezra had learned the hard way.
"I guess you're right. Let's get going." Buck guessed that his friend realized the importance of having people who loved you. Maybe Eddie still clung to the hope that he'd see his mother again.
CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7
After Gloria had left them, Chris and Nathan decided to go back to Josiah with the information the ghost had given them about the demon witch-killer. The two men orbed to the alleyway near the station house and went to Josiah's office to see the detective. They knew he had a lot of office work to do that day, so could be certain of finding him there or not too faraway.
"Do you have any further information?" asked Josiah after he answered the knock at his office door and saw his blond brother as well as the brothers' Whitelighter standing there.
"A lot of information, and it's not all good news. Buck's dad was a witch, and Buck's mom has to be killed for him to get his powers unbound. The Elders are insistent that Buck gets his powers, and although she didn't admit it, we're pretty sure they sent Gloria to do the job for them," said Chris in an angry voice, barely pausing between words. He was upset that an innocent's life had to be taken to save others and wished it didn't have to be that way.
"I think I understood that - but you need to calm down, Chris. Everything is done for the power of good. The Elders from high-above only do things to protect innocents and you know the death of one innocent is worthwhile if it protects many more innocent lives," explained Josiah - he had experienced a lot in all the years he had lived with the Potters. He had gathered a lot of magical knowledge in all that time as well.
"I hope if Mrs. Wilmington does die, Buck will be with us when he finds out - he'll go crazy if he finds that news out and he's alone," said Chris, still annoyed about the Elders' decision. "He might accidentally use his powers once they become unbound and we don't know how he'll react - it could be dangerous."
"How about we invite him to stay over tonight if he hasn't heard anything of his mother before then?" suggested Josiah. They couldn't assume that Mrs. Wilmington was even dead yet - hopefully the Elders were trying to think of an alternative solution so they wouldn't need to take her life.
"Good idea, hopefully soon we'll be able to tell him everything, including that he's a witch."
"Things seemed to be going so well for him. Now his mother might be killed soon and he's going to be told he's a witch who has to protect people and fight demons," said Chris feeling sorry for Buck - the man's world could be torn apart very soon.
"He'll manage - he'll have us to help him, seeing as there's no-one else left around here for him. We know he doesn't have any family very close by, so he'll need us to support him when he gets his powers," said Josiah - it always helped to be able to look into an innocent's records and find out whatever you could about them.
To be continued...