Chapter 5 – Dreamy Revelations

The moonlight penetrated through the rugged curtains of the broken windows, reaching a dark hallway that had alongsides it wooden doors. The corridor seemed creepy for Paige who was walking through it, her vision blank.

She heard something from a door, a whisper, a calling; knowing in an istant that the noise was heard from a door just right a few metres away from her, she opened it carefully as she knew it was unlocked. Behind the door, it was quite a huge room, darkened because there were no windows there, but yet lightened by a scruffy iron box. Paige moved towards it, her white dress fluttering as she gracefully walked. She reached for the box but suddenly her view blackened as she heard someone calling her; a familiar voice…

"Sweety? Wake up"

Paige opened her eyes: Piper was standing in front of her, handing her a cup of what it seemed like tea. Rubbing her eyes she asked Piper what time is it.

"It's ten in the morning, missy," Piper sat besides her on the sofa. "If I didn't wake you now, you still would have been sleeping till noon, I think" she giggled

"Last night, I mean before you woke me or…" Paige said confused "I dreamt something really strange"

Piper glared at her

"But it seems is fading away very quick…"

"Do tell"

"I only remember me, a corridor and a box" Paige rose from the sofa where she slept, in the living room and grabbing the now empty cup she headed to the kitchen, followed by Piper.

Phoebe was already there "Morning, Paige" she smiled

"Hi Phoebe" Paige filled her cup with coffee now, and turned to her older sisters "so how did I slept so much?"

"Well Paige, it was a rough day, what can I say!" Phoebe started looking at Piper

"Even if I stayed up most of the night, I usually don't wake up so late!" she practically shouted at them. "or" Paige raised an eyebrow "you put me something in the cup of coffee you gave me last night!"

The girls sighed and decided to tell her the truth "you were exhausted Paige, you deserved some good sleep after all Cole did to you in these days"

"Anyway, you couldn't have done anything, we looked in the Book and found nothing about the 'mysterious return of Cole" Piper added

"What about the Elders, do they know anything?" asked Paige

"We called them – last night – they know nothing." sighed Phoebe "I took a day off from work to help you guys, we may need the power of three to vanquish him again"

"His soul, more correctly" Paige said looking at Phoebe who was now preparing the ingredients of a potion that could help reduce Cole's power.

Paige looked at the window. The sky was light blue, almost white. It gave her a feeling of hidden joy and serenity. No clouds; sometimes a fresh breeze stirred the air, shaking the haughty brenches of the trees from the alley in front of the manor. She thought a second of her strange dream she had last night, but decided it was one of her bizzare dreams and had no importance. Still, something troubled her: the box. If Piper didn't wake her up right when she took the box, she could have opened it. This thoughts wouldn't leave her, what was in that box? What if it was a vision? No, I have no powers like these, Phoebe has.

From time to time, her sisters went in her room, where she was standing on the bed, reading a book; to know if she was allright. They didn't want to leave her alone, the manor wasn't safe anymore. Cole could just shimmer in Paige's room and take her away. They cast a serie of spells to protect her room, to be magically sheiled from dark powers. She was in danger and she knew it.

Looking at her watch, she noticed it was already evening. The sky turned to red, as the pale rays of sun were still lightening her room. In five or ten minutes, her sisters would come to know if she is allright; and then after they leave she would go and search the place of her dream.

A tall and cloacked figure approached a narrow and dirty street. He continuated his walk, until he found what he was looking for: a wall with yellowish marks on it. He placed his left hand on the marks. Suddenly his hand glowed red as well the letters from the wall, but fierce yellow. He heard noises coming from the dark wall.

Suddenly, the wall split up in two sides, releaving an empty corridor. The figure looked at the scenery in front of him, showing no trace of fear. He could see only a few metres in front of him, but after quite a long distance it was completely darkness. As he walked inside it, making slow steps, he glared at the narrow corridor, it seemed like a hallway, with doors, many doors. Confused, he entered the first door he saw on the right. It lead to another corridor, but this time the hallway had windows on a side and other doors on the left side.

Annoyed, he walked a few metres and finally stopped right near a wooden door. He marched to it, wanting to open it, but it was locked. He tried again but the same. Finally he formed a fireball.Nothing. Deciding it was no use, he headed back to the narrow street carefully remembering where to exit the corridor. As he exited the hallway, a cold breeze of wind made his hood fall on his back, releaving short dark hair and silvery blue eyes that flashed into the dark of the night. He waited there, for it seemed to him like an eternity.

Finally, four cloaked men appeared behind him making Cole to turn around

"Found anything?" they asked

"Yes, I found the marked wall and succeded to open it, but it opened as well a hallway with many doors. I opened the first door on the right like it said in the sacred parchment but it lead me to another corridor with many doors as well – " he said quietly "and windows too. Unfortunetly the doors are locked"

"Have you tried your powers?"

Cole nodded in reply.

"I think we may need her to open it. Have you sent her the vision?" a man behind the other three asked not bothering to take his look up from the concret.

"Yes" said Cole "it wouldn't take much time for her to come here, if she follows her instincts she may be thinking of it right now"

"We hope so, don't forget our bargain, you still have to find the cup" they said and with a click they were gone.

He looked again at the wall and decided it was better to go. Right before the shimmering lights inavded his body he heard someone orbing on the street. He shimmered on a corner of a building to see who just orbed.

Paige looked at the strange wall. She examined it by touching it, carefully not to anything she considered stupid

"I don't remember dreaming about this…" she thought as she continuated to study the wall

She shouted in surprise when she saw that her hand was glowing bright and suddenly the wall splited into two like it did when Cole's hand glowed red. Not knowing what to do, she made a few stepts back, waiting for the wall to completely separate.

Cole watched her anxiously as she entered the wall. He carefully came closer and seeing that Paige was far enough to not see him, he followed her.

There were many doors, but yet no windows. Something about the door on the right intrigued her and decided to give it a try. The door opened without no creak and carefully hiding behind the door she stole a glance to what the door opened: another hallway.

A dirty red carpet covered the middle of the woodened floor; the frames of the dusty windows were made of wood too, but they were dark brown. Making silent steps she followed the corridor, like in her dream and focusing on a particular wooden door, she appeared in front of it. She waited a few seconds, not knowing what to do, maybe it was too dangerous, or not. Finally she made up her mind and slowly pressing .the door handle down The door was opened!

Cole grinned as he saw this and carefully approached assuring that she won't see him.

As Paige opened the door, curiosity and excitement filled her body and mind. It was exactly like in her vision. It wasn't possible…only if it was a vision she had last night, she thought. She looked for the box and saw it right in front of her, standing on grey square stone. Fear and insecuirity dominated her as she headed towards it and carefully took her in her arms wanting to open it, but suddenly she heard something. She turned back and saw Cole approaching her.

"What do you want?" she asked iritated

"Oh, nothing…" he smirked "just the little box in your hands"

Paige looked at the box. It had strange letters carved on it. "Why? What's so important about it, that you want it?"

He raised an eyebrow and walked slowly to Paige, until they were less than a metre away. "Give me the box, Paige!"

"Well, if you want it so badly, come and take it" she grinned and orbed out, appearing again right behind him. Cole quickly turned around but was hit in the head by Paige. He quickly got up from the ground and cleaning his black robe with his hand, he headed to Paige who now had in her other hand a big rock. Seeing this, Cole laughed "Come on Paige, it's that the best you, - " but found himself collapsing on the cold ground, after the rock landed on the top of his head causing him a tiny bloody line sliding on his face..

"can do? Yet" she said and quickly past over him and headed to the entrance but her leg was grabbed by Cole, causing her to lose her balance and fall. The box landed a few metres away from her and Cole gathering all his strengh, ran and took it, his forehead was now painted in red.

"Dammit it" muttured Paige under her breath and orbed near Cole to take the box back. She kicked him with her leg in his stomach and then attacking with her hands. Cole responded the attack and joined the fight.

"You're pretty good at this Paige" he forced an attack by grabbing her waist and hitting her head on the wall behind her, making her cry out in pain, "did Phoebe give you lessons?" he smirked

"Actually" she smacked him in his face "no!"

They continuated to fight until in a leg attack made by Paige, Cole fell on the ground, dragging Paige by her shirt down, causing her to land on top of him.
"Well, well, isn't this…position interesting?" he smirked

"As a matter of fact, not at all" she snapped and struggled to get free from his grip

"I find this, very attractive" she could feel his warm breath on her neck as he talked.

"You're sick!" she hissed "shut up"

"Allright" he said and pulling her closer, he kissed her. Paige, unable to move could only kick him in his legs. She felt his tongue trying to enter her mouth, and his hand sliding her neck, reaching her stomach, the other hand was helding her arms to not hit him. Finally he broke the kiss after for what seemed to Paige an eternity

"Sorry darling, but I don't have time for this right now" he looked at her and shimmered to the place where the box was standing after its fall and tooking it he shimmered away

Paige got up angry "Arghh, why did I have to be so stupid!" she yelled and stared at the chamber. It was quite small, it had no windows, the only light coming from some candles that Paige didn't know who lit them, they can't stay litten all the time….or do they?

She thought of the long kiss, it was quite passionate, hungry, Cole was like a beast waiting to get free and Paige was his prade. At least he didn't do anything else to her, especially that they were married, married in a sick way, for Paige being forced to say 'yes' and Cole's way of 'loving her', by dragging her in their room. It wasn't love, she thought, it's just pure lust. Sick of thinking of Cole, she threw a glance at the room once more and orbed out.

Another day, other problems, thought Paige. Laying on her knees on the withered grass, at the feeble shaddow of an old oak, looking at the crystal water of the emereld lake, she smiled at the view in front of her. Nature always eased her pain and calmed her. A gentle breeze of wind caressed her face clearing her view from her dark heir.

"Paige where do you think are you going?" asked her older sister as she followed her to the doorway, her arms crossed.

"Out!" shouted Paige

"Are you out of your mind? What if Cole kidnappes you again?"

Paige looked at Piper with anger in her eyes "I can take care of miself" she closed her eyes and breathed slowly "Look, I know that, I'll just orb back if he comes, and trust me after all that happened –in that place, he won't come. He has something to do for now"

Piper tried to ignore her instincts, but the pleading voice of her baby sister was taking over

"Fine.But back in a couple of hours"

Thinking of Cole, frustation and anger grew inside of her, but quickly calmed down after she closed her eyes, letting the sound of the water and the birds invading her mind. She recalled the conversation between Piper and Phoebe that she overheard this morning.

"Are you ok, Phoebe?" asked Piper handing Phoebe a cup of tea

She took the cup and leaned herself on the table in the kitchen "Yeah, sure why not? I mean, there just a couple of minor problems, like ohh…let me think" she rolled her eyes "Cole alive again, Paige being married to this sick bastard, Cole wanting her…"

"Phoebe…" Piper looked at her, warm filling her eyes as Phoebe cupped her head with her hands staring at the empty table.

"I mean, why does she wants her, he hates her for the love of God!" she practically yelled not being aware that Paige is listening the conversation behind the door

"Honey…"

"What is he seeing in her, that didn't see in me! Tell me, Piper, why is Cole so damn attracted to Paige, could you tell me this?"

They heard footsteps running outside the room and quickly noticed that the door was part opened. "Paige…" Piper sighed and ran to her other sister leaving Phoebe alone in her misery.

Her face sadnened as she thought of Phoebe. Why did she blamed her, she didn't even want this marriage, and Phoebe must know this. Maybe, it's just jealousy, she told to herself, yes, that's it, if we vanquish Cole as soon as possible all this nightmare will end. But deep inside her, something troubled her, the possibility that Cole couldn't be vanquished made her shiver and get up. Autumn has arrived, changing the nature completely. The blowing wind made the golden and withered leafs of the tress dancing gracefully as the grass is covered fastly by them.

Resigned, Paige closed her eyes and inhaled the cooly air of autumn.