Chapter Eleven: Rumors of a Source

Eleven-year-old Bryn walked into the Manor, her eyes searching for her family who she knew was hiding. There were multi colored balloons, streamers and other party accessories that hung around the foyer, living room and dining room, all there for her birthday. Smiling, she knew it was all thanks to her Aunt Paige for decorating the Manor, and Bryn knew that her Aunt's club, P3 was going to be even more decked out.

Bryn walked further into the house and realized that it was a lot quieter than it should be, even if there were people hiding. She tried to shrug it off, thinking it was just her family trying to get her to believe that everything was just as normal as it always was. Coming from her friend's house, Bryn had known about the party for a few months, thanks to a little inside information from her two young cousins. Besides, Bryn shared her mother's empathic abilities and was blessed with telepathy and could therefore read minds and feel the emotions of others. There was never any hiding anything from Bryn.

Hearing noises, Bryn walked over to the stairs and looked up in time to watch her father come running down, holding one of her cousins in his arms, the other following closely behind him. Catching the frightened look on his face, Bryn knew that there was a demon in the house and took her one cousin by the hand and went with her father into the kitchen. It was once she was there that she could feel her mother and aunts, their emotions running high through her.

"So much for a happy birthday," Bryn muttered. Turning to everyone, she glanced over them, making sure that no one was hurt. "Is everyone all right?"

Her father nodded. He was more afraid than the girls, but it was due to his still being somewhat new to the whole of magic and demons. Although he tried his best to keep a brave face in front of his wife, daughter and family, Bryn knew better and knew that he was always very scared. "I'm fine and the girls are too," he said, catching his breath. "It's your mother and aunts I'm worried about."

"They'll be okay," eight-year-old Kellan said, staring at her uncle. She saw her younger sister Kai was crying and took her hand to comfort her. "It will be okay, Kai. Mommy will fight the demon and everything will be okay and we can still have Bryn's birthday party."

Suddenly, a figure in black shimmered in and faced the four in the kitchen. He grinned, evilly, and held out his hand, a fireball appearing in it. "And we were told this might be hard," he said.

Thrusting out his hand, the demon threw the fireball directly at Bryn and her father, but it was deflected and went right back to the one who threw it. As the demon was erupting into flames, he looked up and saw Kellan staring back at him, her hand facing him and he then remembered her calling out "fireball" before she sent it back to him. There was a silence after he became ash, which was finally broken by Bryn.

"Sometimes, I wish I had Whitelighter powers."

Three figures stood in the doorway to the kitchen, each looked beaten and worn out, but relieved as well. Paige all but fell to the floor and scooped her girls into her arms and showered them with kisses. Phoebe helped her husband up and hugged him and Bryn in turn. Piper stood in the background, letting her sisters make sure that their children were safe, something she would have done had hers been there.

Soon, everyone migrated up to the attic where Piper and Paige devoured the Book of Shadows to try and find out what kind of demons had attacked. There had been more than one that had shimmered in and the sisters were beginning to think that they had only been fighting minions and that there was a greater evil out there. Leo had been called and he was currently conferring with the Elders to see what they could be up against.

Bryn sat on the couch, her shoulders sunken as she thought about her birthday, which had just been ruined. It wasn't as if the demon minions knew what the day was, but like her aunt, she wished that today of all days could have been a little more normal than the rest of her life. Rolling her eyes, Bryn wondered if the day could get any worse.

Leo appeared in a swirl of lights, his face harboring a grim expression.

"We can't find anything in the Book," Piper said, slamming it shut. "Were they of any help Up There?"

"Yes and no," Leo answered. "A witch was killed last night."

"And what does that have to do with the demons that ruined my birthday?" Bryn asked, her tone angry.

"Well, the Elders think that there is a new Source rising in the Underworld and that he and his minions were the ones who killed the witch and most of her coven. His way of exposing himself to the magical world. But, the Elders think that this new...evil...sent his minions here."

"To threaten us? Let us know he's here and not going away?" Phoebe asked.

"Exactly."

"What's a Source?" Jason asked, looking to Phoebe for an answer.

"It's a supreme evil that doesn't stop until it kills everyone who stands in its way for power," Bryn said. Her mother eyed her, and Bryn stared back in surprise. "What? That's what you three told me when I asked."

Kai tugged on her mother's shirt. "You'll fight it, won't you?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Paige told her. "We fought the Source before and vanquished him, and we can do it again."

Everyone in the attic nodded. A new Source was something the Charmed Ones were not looking forward to, but there were many innocents out in the world to save. Besides, two of the Charmed Ones had children to protect as well, including husbands. It was then decided that Piper and Paige would begin to make and stock up on potions while Phoebe helped Bryn, Kellan and Kai with their powers. Leo would go back and forth between the Manor and Up There with the Elders as he tried to get as much information on the new Source as possible. Jason, they said, would not have to worry about anything magical.

Standing up, Bryn ran a hand through her hair and looked over at her mother. "So, now that we know what we are doing, what are we going to do for my birthday?"