Hi everyone! I think I got an all time high of reviews per a single post! Wow! Thanks a bunch to: Gomay, PiPeRAnGeL39, hope master, katbaby, Christine Marquez, and holly! I can't tell you how much your reviews meant. You're all awesome. Christine Marquez, I would never give up on this story. I was a little depressed when I didn't think anyone was reading, but I was proved wrong so that's good.
I have a question! Ok so as we're nearing the end, I need to know what I should put in my summary and what my final settings should be. So, the question is how did you find this fic? Holly you're exempt. I know how you found this, but everybody else please because I wanna know! Thank ya! Please R and R!
Chap 50
"Anywhere…everywhere…you don't want to know"
(A.k.a the Tribunal)
"Holy crap!" Kat surveyed in awe. She and Cole stood in a big circular nowhere. He merely nodded. Turning to him, she asked, "So, what do we do now?"
"We have to call for them," Leo responded.
"…Uh…Uncle Leo, when did you get here?"
"A few seconds ago. Are you feeling ok? You don't look so good," Leo observed.
Truthfully he wasn't wrong. She sported blackening circles that hung just below her eyes. Moreover, she was becoming frighteningly pale in stark contrast to her darkening brunette hair. In that moment she really reminded Cole of Phoebe when she was the Queen of the Underworld. She mirrored her mother's conviction and spirit as well as the weakness and weariness. Though he wasn't the first to say anything, he was probably the first to notice the growing ruthlessness in her eyes. Ashamed he knew where that came from. Cole kicked himself for not making a fuss over this sooner. In fact, he was even jealous that Leo had mentioned it before him. Maybe Cole was so used to seeing this kind of transformation that his own daughter's seemed normal… he needed to save her.
"I know," she answered annoyed. "That's what happens when you're forced to fight the mounting evil on the inside, but you wouldn't know anything about that would you?"
Leo appeared hurt and confused by her words. "What are you talking about?"
Immediately, she apologized. "I'm sorry. I know you're just looking out for me. My memories from the other future are evil and overpowering me."
"You shouldn't worry too much. Since we are everywhere and nowhere we're in every time and no time you shouldn't gain anymore new ones."
"Thanks," she smiled relieved. "By the way what are you doing here?"
"I'm not too sure to be honest with you. They sent me to help represent you to the Tribunal. I know there's a rule stating that your opposing council must be your greatest enemy from the opposing (good/evil) side. However, if good and evil are balanced then you don't have opposing council because you're neutral."
Kat shrugged. "Maybe they're talking about sides from birth. I mean Dad's a demon-"
"I was half-human then," he corrected.
"Humans are easily swayed, especially when they're predisposed to evil," she rebutted, her voice dripped with a cryptic cynicism. Shaking it off she continued, "Uncle Leo is an angel. Obviously he's good. It all evens out."
"And you're?"
"Completely neutral," Kat answered. "I mean I'm like more neutral than Switzerland. I'm half witch and half demon, I was born on a spiritual nexus, and I'm a Libra. It's all about balance with me. I'm even pretty sure that's my whole 'purpose'. To balance us kids out, ya know?"
"Uh…no."
"Never mind. We should call for the Tribunal because I think this needs to be done before Chris is born."
"Why?"
"I don't know because that's when I was sent?" She offered.
"…Alright…well, Cole we'll both need to say this together."
"Di! Ecce hora! Uxor mea me necabit!
The platform like floor that they were standing on suddenly split in two. A slightly raised inner hexagon with a lavender panel in the center appeared inside of a newly created circle. Above them two heads orbed in and another set flamed into view. Both sets looked extremely displeased to have been summoned. In front of them a table with three chairs materialized, practically shoving them into the seats.
"Hmmm…" Kat wondered, "If they're a tribunal why are there four and how do they break a tie?"
"They agreed to this idea only if there was equal representation. And you don't want to know how they break a tie,' Leo whispered.
"They're just called the tribunal because it sounds cooler," Cole explained.
"That's pathetic," she said; he shrugged.
One of the very unhappy demonic heads addressed them, "Why have we been summoned?"
"My brother needs a soul," Kat answered.
"Who is he?" The second Elder asked.
Life as usual, Kat responded, "The future Source of All Evil."
"We don't understand how that is a bad thing for us," the first demon said,
"The last time the Source had a soul he got vanquished a week after coronation," the second demon glared harshly towards Cole.
"Only bad can come for both sides can from his soul or lack there of."
"Examples?"
She hesitated. "Future consequences."
"Our kids aren't allowed to hang out in the future," Cole whispered to Leo.
"Shhh…"
"Bullshit," The demon balked.
The other Elder spoke for the first time, coaxing her he said, "You can tell us."
Kat looked back toward her father and uncle. She wasn't sure they could handle hearing the way their kids lived in the future let alone seeing it in the circle of truth. "Aren't you supposed to be all knowing?"
"We can send them out, if you'd like," the second Elder non-answered.
"No!" Cole rose out of his seat, but Leo pulled him back down.
"This is hard enough on her," Leo warned.
Cole shook his head, "The last thing I going to do now is abandon her."
Rubbing her eyes Kat stopped them, "No, it's ok." The circles beneath her eyes drooped and darkened as she stepped into the circle of truth.
Chap 51
She began her story slowly and hesitantly, "Luc without a soul only creates chaos and confusion for both sides and you know what chaos and confusion causes. He didn't know of the Charmed Ones. He only knew that someone was stopping his attacks and hopes for an apocalypse. Therefore, he did the only he could do which was to go after them. The demon that he summoned warned him that the Power of Three was not to be messed with. Luc killed that demon, rather ruthlessly, I might add, and then he summoned the Demon of Hate who could only be killed by the Power of Four. Except there was something he didn't know. The Power of Three could kill that particular demon if a Charmed One sacrificed herself. That Charmed One was Piper, Wyatt's mom and my mom's sister." Her tone began to shift from hesitant to what was at best almost like an admiring amusement of sorts. "See, Mom didn't really she didn't really like the idea of losing another sister and well…kinda went bonkers, if you will. She actually thought she could defeat the Source of All Evil."
The Circle of Truth portrayed the events as Kat spoke of them. The Tribunal observed everything unfazed. They had even witnessed Piper's lunge for the knife that Phoebe held that fateful birthday of Chris' not to far from then. "…but that really wasn't when things went to Hell. That happened just a bit after my mother met my brother. As I said, she actually thought she could defeat the Source, and unkownst to her he just so happened to be Luc. Once she found out she thought she could save him like she did our father, by her love." Kat scoffed making the Demonic Floating heads nod in agreement. "Of course, Luc wouldn't have any part of that, but his followers didn't believe him. They thought he would become weak like our father. So a rebelling group of demons sent a demon to the manor later that night…"
Flashback/Forward
2020
A blinding flash of light illuminated Phoebe's figure as she ran into the manor soaking wet and dripping over the floor. The following rumble of thunder filled the manor. Cole and Paige sat at the kitchen table researching something in the Book of Shadows. Paige's husband Ryan floated in the middle of the room probably sensing for a witch's call. He was not unlike Paige. Ryan was half witch half whitelighter, but he had grown up in Elderland and had learned many tricks of the trade.
The door slamming had caused Kat to merely roll over on the loveseat but Ryan fell to the floor. Cole jumped towards her. Phoebe didn't come by anymore, not even to use the Book of Shadows. He knew something was up. "I found the Source!" She announced.
"Great, so what are we supposed to do know without the Power of Three?" Paige reminded her sarcastically.
"Nothing magical. Cole, he's our son!"
"Excuse me?" Cole clarified.
Paige thought she was losing her mind because she had decided to take her husband and leave the exs to work things out. It was going to get messy. Ryan pointed to the sleeping ten year old on the couch, but Paige shook her head. Let sleeping half demons lie, she thought.
Cole's voice rose, "What do you expect me to raise him too? You left us, Phoebe. Do you even care about your daughters anymore?"
"Cole, of course I care! That's why I'm out there saving them from demonic attacks before the plans are put into action. They are the reason I get out of bed in the morning. Don't think you're the only one who cares."
"I'm not," Cole whispered. "I know Paige and the rest of the family care; you're the one I wonder about."
"Cole, I found our son. Can't you forget about our difference for two seconds so that we can go and get him? He's our son. Don't you understand?" Phoebe pleaded.
"I understand, Phoebe, but—Demon!"
"I know I've been gone, but calling me a demon? Don't you think that's a little harsh?"
"No. Demon," Cole growled charging up an energy ball.
The unknown demon picked up Kat before either of the two adults realized.
Present
2004
"Another Charmed One died by the choice to save the world and us. After she saved me, Dad left and followed her footsteps. Wyatt became a recluse. That never bodes for anybody's sanity but especially his," Kat laughed bitterly. "Aunt Paige died about six months later. Someone who was infected by the Demon of Hate shot her and my uncle to death, but I don't think it was the bullets that killed them. I mean they could've orbed at any moment, and yet they didn't. I think they were tired, and they gave up. There was nothing in this world to fight for anymore. That's when finally Wyatt snapped, and you do realize that's when the end began.
Angels fell from the sky and death became them as Wyatt began his rampage. You see, he took it out on the people who really did cause the Charmed Ones to die. Yes, that's right, the Elders, and he killed every last one of…"
Flashback/Forward
2020
"…you," Wyatt said to Leo. They're eyes connected, and Leo had no doubt to what was going to happen next. He closed them in pain as Wyatt plunged Excalibur into his…
Present
2004
"…heart," Kat emphasized with a sad sigh. "That time became just a battlefield for Luc and Wyatt. I know, I know, how is that bad for you demons?" She addressed the demonic heads. "I mean really, all four Charmed Ones are dead, white lighters and Elders don't exist, and you have a Source. They're all things good or more to the point, evil. Those things didn't last long though. Because Chris came back and then I followed him, and now there's a different future," her voice grew menacing as she embraced her new memories to show the Tribunal.
"Yeah… in this one there isn't good or evil, just me. That's right me." The circles under Kat's eyes disappeared completely and her hair was now a blackish red tone that was cut significantly. She stood with a sureness of herself that everybody immediately recognized as evil. "Everybody was either crazy or just not as powerful as me, therefore I stepped in. I mean I let Chris help me after I resurrected him, of course. And being as charitable as I am, I allowed some demons to live and do my dirty work, but that's all there is. The future doesn't exist for anyone. I'll admit it's true that the death and destruction caused by Luc and Wyatt was commendable but why settle? Especially when I can give you complete decimation of everything. Fun Fact: I can wipe out this entire room in seconds."
Suddenly the bright flash of light made a reappearance. It pushed Kat again, only this time farther back.
