A/N: Apologies for the shortness. I'm not sure how I mentally segment these things, some fanfics I read have very long chapters, others much shorter. I've been accused of being a minimalist, or maybe I'm lazy. Thanks to everyone who reads, and more for those who review. It's good for your soul, you know.
Revelations
Cole nodded once, confidently, at Leo a moment after the sisters orbed out. Familiarly, the world turned into cascading blue lights and then just as quickly the process reversed and he was somewhere else, a museum. In front of him was the demon; he had his back turned and was heavily cloaked but Cole could tell by that little information that he was powerfully built, which often meant he was also potent magically. On the plus side, their plan seemed to have worked.
Cole followed a heartbeat later as Leo hurled a potion at the demon's back, yelling to get his attention. The demon turned, as expected and Cole recognized Edrigan immediately, an ancient, legendary demon of high esteem in the courts of the shadow and darkness. He looked surprised as the first potion struck him, and then the second, which sent him through the display case he was standing next to, and the next, and the next. Numbly, Cole dug into his pockets for his next potions to throw, moving toward Edrigan along with Leo in a circular pattern.
"We might have a problem," he said, more to himself than anyone else. As they moved the sisters began chanting a spell they had written earlier. Edrigan stood up slowly, looking dignified despite being covered in wreckage. "Throw the," Cole yelled, but that was all he got out before Edrigan had gestured with a hand and sent him flying high into the air, deeper into the museum. As he was sailing he saw Edrigan use the same hand to make a crushing motion, and watched Leo's potion explode in his hand and his brother-in-law explode into shining blue particles. I hope they finish the spell, was the last thing Cole thought before impacting against a stone column.
!#&
Phoebe's voice cracked as she watched Cole flung like a rag doll out of her field of vision. She wanted to stop chanting, to go to him, but it wasn't the first time she'd been distracted by his pain; she may have been proud of her resolve if it hadn't hurt so much. Paige and Piper's grip on her hands tightened, reassuringly she thought. She watched the demon focus on them, coal black eyes and blood red skin. The horns completed the visage, small content points on his brow; this was a demon that had birthed an entire mythos of fear and derision she knew. He took a step forward as they entered the final verse, bringing a hand up and closing it slowly.
"Silence," he said simply and the spell ceased. Phoebe felt her throat, and tried to speak again, but she heard nothing, looking from sister to sister she could see they were having the same problem. The demon grinned an impossibly wide grin, striding forward, brandishing the wicked athame that Phoebe knew had caused all of this… and yet. Leo, re-materializing suddenly, jumped on his back, trying to choke him from behind. Phoebe stared in shock, and came awake again as Piper swatted her. Her big sister made chopping and kicking motions, like she was in a silent kung fu movie, then pointed at the ancient weaponry littering the floor. Paige made a face as if to protest and then opened her mouth as if to scream and then Leo crashed into her, the both of them flying backwards. Phoebe nodded curtly to her sister, turning to face the demon who was striding forward again. She ran forwards, rolling under a wide swipe and snatching up a random sword as she went and coming up to flank him with Piper. The demon, again with that ridiculous expression, made to stab with the athame, but stumbled as something impacted him in the back. Instinctively, Phoebe used his forward momentum to help him into a rolling tumble that sent him back to the floor, then looked over at Piper who was gesturing for her to move. As she sidestepped she heard an explosion and noticed a towering statue of an Egyptian deity tumble, its ankles broken, and fall onto the floored demon.
"Hey, I heard that," Phoebe said to Piper.
"So, did I," Piper said, her hands still active, staring at the floor. She glanced up quickly. "Get Cole," she said, backing up and seeing about Paige and Leo. Phoebe hurried over in the direction she had seen Cole fly. She found him trying to stumble to his feet, a gash open at his hairline.
"Cole, oh god, baby," she said, going to him, not sure if she should try and help him up or make him stay down.
"Did we get him?" he asked, oddly, then looked at the sword she was carrying. "Hey, where'd you get that from?"
"Oh no, your head," she let him put his arm over her and lifted with her legs to support his much larger frame. "we're getting you out of here, all of us out of here," she quickly helped him back to the main area, where Piper was watching Leo heal Paige. Behind her, the statue rumbled and moved suddenly, tumbling end over end towards Piper.
"Piper!" Phoebe shouted, and watched her big sister turn, hands at the ready. The statue exploded violently, sending dust particles in the air and medium and larger sized pieces in random directions. Phoebe felt Cole stiffen and after another moment stand up straight. She looked up at him and could see his head wound had closed. "Cole?" she asked. He looked down at her and grasped at the sword.
"I'm fine, now," he said. "You get your sister up and think of a new plan," he pecked her on her surprised lips. "I'll distract Edrigan while you save us," he said, digging into his pocket for another potion and then walking off into the dispersing cloud. Phoebe put a hand up and watched him disappear between her finger tips, then bit her lip and jogged over to her sisters and Leo.
"Is she ok?" she asked her brother-in-law. He nodded, dizzily.
"Yeah, but still unconscious, I," he started.
"I'll take care of her, go help Cole, we'll think of something," Leo looked confused but nodded after seeing the resolve in Phoebe's face and picked up the bulky leg of a display case and stood up next to Piper.
!#&
The Charmed Ones could do this and the Charmed Ones could do that, Edrigan mused. It was odd that at no point had it been mentioned that there was five of them and not just three. The sisters were, officially, the demon killing good witches, but it had become apparent that they also possessed a legion of competent followers as well. It hadn't been a total surprise, of course. The angel had been mentioned, though he had formerly believed it was in a more mentorship capacity, and of course Belthazor was with them; he'd scarcely leave his love's side. She was all he lived for, now that he had turned his back on everything else.
Then again, Edrigan thought, as Belthazor's human shade came striding confidently out of the mist at him. He raised an eyebrow, and held up a hand, holding the mortal fast.
"I question the logic of this move," Edrigan said, stepping forward. "Knowing I possess the power to stop your blood cold, what prevents me from gutting you where you stand?" as he finished his statement he began to feel his power deflate. He watched as the human opened his hand and a small vial flung like a bullet at him. Edrigan waved the item away but it slammed into his chest nonetheless, ice forming at the impact site and spreading over him quickly.
"That," the human replied simply, stepping forward in a two-handed swing. Edrigan concentrated on his rage, fire spreading from his gaze over his person, nullifying the potion. When the sword swung in, making contact with Edrigan's face, it softened, blackened, and broke into a hundred pieces, shrapnel flying in all directions. He recoiled backwards, clutching an eye. Dimly, he was aware of the mortal making pained noises as well. Standing to his full height he carefully removed a shard of steel from his damaged eye and flicked it to the ground. As his vision clouded the dust particles finally settled the others had arrived, standing even with the wobbly and arrogant shade of Belthazor. He had power, Edrigan calculated. He smiled, feeling the glee of a new direction.
"You," he pointed at the mortal that had hurt him "have damaged me," he gestured at his eye "and as such, it is custom that you die a tormented, and infinitely slow death, but the rest of you," Edrigan turned the athame in his hand, holding onto the blade instead of the handle and squeezed tightly, letting the blade bite and bind with his flesh. "the rest of you get to die swiftly," the room darkened slowly, the power of a hundred-hundred demons wafting into the space and joining with him. He could feel them all, waiting to be unleashed. With a gesture this time they were all sent flying into the air, swept up in hellish storm winds, red, crackling lightning seeking their hearts.
Edrigan was caught up in the storm as well, the destruction of the museum space was in the back of his mind, light fixtures falling all around him, the earth shaking, splitting the stone and shaking everything apart. It seemed like his enemies were there one moment and gone the next; maybe they had been vaporized, maybe the had teleported. A moment of disgust grabbed him and he opened his hand, letting the athame tumble away from him. He came back to the wrecked scene vaguely, and with the devastation came the pain in his eye. Edrigan pondered on the bloody implement for a moment and then stooped over to pick it up, contemplating the sharp, twisted end. What manner of weapon was this? Thinking on the seductive maelstrom made him think of the Seer and her machinations. What was she playing at?
The Charmed Ones could wait, if they still existed. For now, he had questions, and there would be answers.
!#&
Piper congratulated her little sister for not only having the presence of mind to orb them all out of there, but to orb with them the crucial piece of glass that was soaked in the demon's blood. Paige, though, was a bit inconsolable, as was Phoebe, who pointed out at every turn just how badly they were outmatched. She was torn between hastily making more potions and turning pages in the book of shadows. All of them, she realized, had assumed that all of that before had been the demon using the athame. But no, Edrigan, that was what Phoebe had said, was powerful in his own right. Piper wanted to ask Phoebe how she knew of his identity, but there was really only one way. As she moved slowly through the manor towards the observatory she passed Leo, who only had loving words for her, support and confidence in her abilities and decision making. He had convened with the elders, with the name, and they had some ideas. She needed him to wait, needed all of them to pay a little more attention.
Cole was standing alone, facing the window, the ancient sword with the blackened, broken tip still in his hand. He didn't look casual, or comfortable, he looked exactly as he had when Edrigan had pointed at him and had made his oath. He looked like he was trying to look confident and was just a shuddering breath away from collapsing into hopelessness. Piper had been there, and she had decided that if Phoebe was serious about them, then she ought to treat him like a brother.
"It's not going to happen," she said. "We'll beat this," Piper channeled her inner Leo. In response, Cole tightened his grip in the sword, audibly wrenching the leather on the well-worn handle. He held onto the horizon and wouldn't let go.