Crystal Tears
Chapter 3 – Choices
When Leo orbed into the Penthouse, he found Phoebe and Cole to be having an intense discussion, one which they ceased having the moment he cleared his throat.
"H-oh God, Leo! You scared me," Phoebe gasped.
Cole cast a strained smile in Leo's direction. "Is something wrong?" he asked clearly hoping something wasn't. He looked tired.
Leo shuffled his feet.
"Spit it out, Leo," Phoebe said somewhat tersely.
Leo decided to hold Phoebe's gaze as he knew Cole's very strong feelings towards the Elders and their realm. He was even more likely to fly into a rage than Phoebe over this. As Leo explained, however, he could see a darkness coming over her countenance and while Cole threw up his hands and started spitting venom in the general direction of the heavens, she went unnervingly calm and still.
After he had finished, he concluded with, "Phoebe, you know I only want the best for you and your family, but I'm worried about what the Elders will do if you don't listen to them. They can be pretty stubborn when it comes to enforcing rules and as you and I both know, it's a big risk trying to break them."
"Thank you for your concern, Leo," Phoebe said gently, "You can tell them we got your message."
"And you know what else you can tell them," Cole raged, but Phoebe put a hand on his shoulder. "Shh, Cole. Don't shoot the messenger. We'll deal with this in our own time, together…alone."
Cole was flushed with anger and looked ready to deck someone, so Leo decided to take that as his cue to leave. "Again, I'm really sorry. Call me if you need anything." With that he orbed out of the room.
Cole reeled on Phoebe. "What was that? You just let him go without a response from us? Are you going to stand by and let psychics and-and robed egotists get in the way of our parenting?!"
"No, actually, I'm not," Phoebe said coolly. "I just need time to think. And YOU need to keep your voice down. They might be listening."
Cole snickered bitterly and turned away from her. "Right, now we have to whisper in our own home. Phoebe, you know how I feel about this, about THEM…"
"Look I know you're angry, I'm angry too, but I have had more experience with them and I know that you have to approach these situations very carefully. And you know, Cole, maybe it…" she paused, not really sure if she knew what she wanted to say.
"Maybe what?" Cole shot her a challenging look. "Maybe it's worth considering? Phoebe no, Sky is a good child and his powers are just that – powers. They don't define who he is. What defines who he is, is how he uses them. Not once has he used them to hurt anyone or do anything deliberately destructive. Wyatt's powers are just as dangerous as Sky's, but it's only because he has a whitelighter as a father that he gets away with it. This isn't about protecting Sky from harm, or people who may encounter him, it's about me, distrust in me. And that makes me furious, damn it! I've given up everything to be with you, to be a source of help to you and your sisters, done loads of good up until now and yet they still---"
Phoebe embraced her husband and disarmed him with a kiss. "I know," she whispered. "You don't need to convince me. But maybe Miranda saw something in the future that the Elders have seen too. Maybe something bad happens to Sky, like someone steals his powers and uses them for evil. We just don't know what could happen."
"But we can protect him. We will! I'm not going to let anything happen to him or to Crystal. They trust Leo and Piper to do that with Wyatt, why not trust us?"
"Because old habits—"
"Die hard," Cole finished irritably. He was guided to the sofa and made to sit down. Phoebe nuzzled him gently. "We'll figure this out. But we need to think things through first, okay?"
Cole swallowed hard, his chest still heaving from his outburst. Phoebe looked at him and remembered that for a hundred years of his life the Elders and their kind had been his enemy. There was a lot of resentment beneath Cole's anger that had its roots in his past. He was not only defending his son but himself.
Phoebe soothed him by rubbing his arm and holding him close, while inside her emotions were in a whirlwind.
********************
The following day, Piper, Paige and Leo talked about the situation over breakfast.
"Cole looked pretty mad when I left," Leo answered Paige.
"I bet he did. And I bet he's not going to even consider that the Elders probably mean well. Sky's nearly two. They've let him alone a long time. It's only now that he's showing his demonic abilities that they're panicking," the half-whitelighter said before popping a grape into her mouth.
"But let's look at this from a child's perspective," Piper spoke up. "I worry enough for Wyatt having to grow up hiding half of who he is, but I made the decision that he keep his powers because he could feel at home when he was, well, home! He's surrounded by good magic, magic that imitates his own. But Sky… Sky's different. He's a very unusual hybrid and he's going to have to reconcile two sides to his magical persona that have been at war with each other for millennia. Not only will he have to keep himself in check at school and places in the outside world, but even within magical circles, other parents will be wary of their kids playing with half-demons."
"Quarter-demon, actually," Paige pointed out. "Two parts witch and one part mortal."
"Sure, but demon nonetheless. I don't know. It's just…this is new and unprecedented in the world of magic. He'll be a freak in all spheres of his life…and I say that with a heavy heart. I adore Sky. But even I find it difficult sometimes watching him play with fire, literally, with Wyatt observing in the corner. It's confusing for both of them."
"Ultimately it's down to Phoebe and Cole to comply or to challenge them, though," Leo said, "And I think we can guess what's more likely."
"They're going to get into a lot of trouble, aren't they?" Paige worried.
Piper glanced at Leo. "If our experiences are anything to go by, then yeah. They're in for a rough road."
Just then the doorbell rang. "Oh that'll be Julia. She's just stopping by to pick up a library book she left here," Piper said, rising.
Paige watched her leave the room and then looked at Leo. She didn't realize that she was displaying an expression of annoyance.
"What's the matter, Paige?" Leo asked instinctively.
"Matter? Nothing's the matter," Paige waved away his question dismissively.
"You sure? Because you know you can tell me."
"Oh it's nothing, Leo. I just worry about these kids, you know. I want them to be in good hands and happy and healthy and all."
Leo nodded, realizing that that was not the full story but knowing better than to push her. "They are and we'll make sure they stay that way."
"Or the Elders will," Paige muttered, torn herself about whose side she was on, since she could see it from both perspectives. "Let me know if Cole and Phoebe decide anything, okay?" she said, getting up and clearing away the dishes.
"I will," Leo sighed. "I'm as anxious to know what their next move's gonna be as you are."
*******************************
That Sunday, Cole and Phoebe found themselves sitting in long silences, both pondering how they were going to approach the situation.
Cole spent most of his time slumped on the sofa, staring out the window thoughtfully, while Phoebe decided eventually to consult the Book of Shadows to see if there was anything useful to them in there.
Finding himself alone in the apartment, Cole took time to evaluate his son's state of power. Currently, the little boy was peering through the bars of his sister's crib and making playful noises at her.
"Sky," he called softly. "Come here."
Sky reluctantly turned away from his sister and tottered over to his father. Cole knelt and held his son in an earnest gaze. "Can you show daddy your special gift?"
Sky was too young to understand everything his father said to him, so Cole chose to demonstrate. He used a neutral power and performed telekinesis on a nearby toy car, bringing it over to the infant. Sky grinned. "Ca."
"Your turn. Move the car, buddy."
Sky tilted his head and the car rolled backwards a few feet on its wheels. He chuckled. "Ca!"
"What else can you do? Show daddy," Cole encouraged.
Sky fidgeted a while and then pointed at the toy and a yellow light emitted from his right hand and enveloped the object. Slowly, he raised his hand and the car lifted with it.
Cole applauded lightly. "Good boy! Now you know we only do that here in the house, right? Not outside."
Sky shook his head fervently, having been carefully guided by Julia and his mother and aunts to only ever perform magic at the Manor or at home.
"Good," Cole patted him on the head. "Now I know you can disappear," Cole began and on cue Sky shimmered and then reappeared on the same spot. Cole laughed. "Yes, like that. But is there anything else you like to do?"
"Mmm," Sky pondered and then his eyes brightened. "Baby!"
"What about baby?"
"Baby," Sky repeated and toddled over to Crystal's crib. Cole followed him and watched intently as Sky silently stared at his little sister. Then he stepped back and the crib disappeared.
Cole rose to his feet, alarmed. "Whoa! Sky! What did you---where did you…? Put it back, Sky! Put the crib and your sister back!"
The crib reappeared and Sky turned to his father to get approval. Inside, Crystal giggled.
Cole simply stared at he crib, feeling it over and inspecting his daughter to make sure she was all right. Finally, he faced his little son. "You just teleported an object, didn't you? Just like daddy could when he was…" He didn't finish. He'd never said his demonic name around his son and he wasn't about to now. "Where did you put her?"
Sky clapped his hands in childish glee and pointed towards the master bedroom. Cole relaxed, very relieved that his daughter, cot and all had not appeared in a random location outside. "That's a very special trick, but you know to only ever use it inside and when daddy and mommy tell you to, okay?" he told Sky. The blue-eyed boy just stared at his father and Cole was left to guess whether or not he'd understood. He then realized that this was probably the power Sky had acquired yesterday. The power was a replica of Cole's own from his Belthazar days, but as far as uses went, it was fairly neutral in that it could be used for good or for ill. He wasn't too worried.
He took Sky into his arms and focussed on him. "From now on, I want you only to use your gifts when mommy, daddy, your aunties and uncle Leo tell you to. And Julia. But nobody else. Only when we tell you to or if you are alone and feel scared. You got that big guy?"
Sky sucked his thumb and sagged against his father, getting tired of all the lecturing. Cole kissed him on the top of his head and put him back down again. He watched as Sky went back to playing with his sister, hoping that he hadn't encouraged him to use a power that could endanger her. But observing the way his son interacted with the little girl, Cole couldn't help but feel that there was a very strong bond between them already and that Sky wouldn't do anything to harm her.
"Now we just have to convince certain people that you won't harm anyone else," Cole murmured grumpily.
********************************
Frank learned the hard way that, as organized and co-ordinated as Horates could be, he was also a fan of spontaneous decisions.
The Egyptian demon was having a feast in his lair, talking to old and new recruits, when, at the end of the meal, he said, "My senses indicate that the Power of Three is strong, meaning they are together, meaning that either Belthazar or the Whitelighter are guarding the children at the Penthouse, if indeed they are there. Why don't we drop by for a surprise visit?"
Frank stared at Horates in alarm, not out of fear for his own life but because he had no time to warn the Seer and figure out a plan of action with her. The other demons looked uncomfortable for other reasons. "But we haven't discussed a strategy, sir," one of the younger trainee demons spoke up.
"Precisely!" Horates bellowed. "Spontaneous attacks are the best way to avoid a witch's premonitions and excellent practice for young demons to learn how to think on their feet." He leaned over the table, hands together in a pensive gesture. "Many an evil being has been destroyed by sudden appearances by the witches themselves. Learning how to improvise is the key to levelling up."
He straightened up and smiled. "Which is why I am only sending in eight of you; the new members. My older elites have already proved their cunning to me." The older elites looked relieved. "Now. Those who joined within this year are instructed to prove their fealty to me by shimmering or blinking to the Penthouse now. If no children are home, consider yourself lucky. But if there are… You know the drill."
Reluctantly, the youthful eight, including Frank (who wasn't so youthful but still new to the ranks nonetheless) rose from their places, exchanged glances and started to shimmer out. Frank had no choice but to join them. He would have to glamour into another form the moment he got there to save himself being recognized.
************************************
Back at the Manor, Phoebe was paging through the Book, trying to ignore the barrage of questions from her sister.
"What do you expect to find in there anyway?" Paige asked.
Phoebe kept flicking through spells, a stern look of determination on her face. "I don't know, yet, Paige. That's why I'm looking."
"Phoebe, Leo and Piper are worried about you, not to mention myself, because the Elders can do scary things if you piss them off—"
"I'm aware of that," Phoebe almost snapped. She gave her sister an exasperated, pleading look. "I just want to see if there's a middle ground we can reach. Maybe a spell or a potion that will inhibit the use of specific powers until a certain age, an age when Sky will understand us better. I don't want to permanently bind or strip of even soften them just…help him control them until such time as it's safer for him to exercise them more freely."
"You really think that'll satisfy the Elders?" Paige said flatly.
Phoebe paused in her hunting and sighed. "I don't know. All I do know is that something doesn't feel right about taking away or drawing out part of what makes him who he is. I mean, how many times has he used his demonic abilities to protect himself, protect us, from evil? He took out the Source and several hundred demons and if that's not a sign of dark magic being used for good purposes then I don't know is!"
Paige nodded slowly, a sympathetic light in her eyes.
"I just want to give him a chance. He deserves that much. He's only a baby now and he hasn't done anything wrong," Phoebe said softly, concern written all over her face. She slowly paged through the Book again.
"You're right. He does deserve a chance. You gave Cole a chance and he turned out fine in the end so maybe we---I mean They, should just trust your judgement, like they trust-"
"Piper," Phoebe interrupted, as the eldest sister walked in.
"Hey," Piper said, head tilted in a gesture of curiosity. "Mind filling me in?"
"Sure," Phoebe said resignedly. There were no decisions to be made without consultation with her family. She knew that.
"And once you're done, I have a few things to say, too," Piper said gently. "From one concerned mother to another."
"I'm all ears," Phoebe responded diplomatically. If anyone could understand her predicament, it was Piper.
*********************************************
Cole was in the kitchen getting a bottle for Crystal when he heard a crash. He swivelled around and found himself face to face with a strange, darkly dressed man. "Surprise," the man said and struck out. Cole was sent flying backwards and he hit the kitchen sink with a crunch. Pain shot through his body, but alarm cancelled it out. He conjured up two energy balls and hurtled them at the offending demon, who narrowly avoided them. Using his telekinesis to pick up a kitchen knife, he sent it flying at the demon. It hit its mark and plunged straight between the eyes, vanquishing him. He raced outside and found, to his horror, several demons throwing fire and energy balls at the protective shield that had come up around Sky. The little boy had extended its reach to cover his sister's crib. "Daddah!" he wailed, clearly frightened.
"Get away from them!" Cole snarled and sent tendrils of electricity in the direction of two of the demons. One ducked while the other was zapped off his feet, not dead but rather stunned. Cole himself had to duck as a barrage of energy and fireballs came his way. "Sky, shimmer you and your sister to the Man—ahh!"
One of the energy balls struck him, sending him spinning and landing on his front, his shoulder burning with searing pain. "Daddy!" Sky sobbed.
Before Cole could get to his feet, he had a vision of himself clambering up from the floor, only to be stabbed in the back from a demon that had shimmered from out of nowhere. The vision cleared and Cole rolled to the right, sprang up and spun around, delivering a kick to the demon that had just formed behind him. Turning to face the remaining attackers, he ignited his hands in an attempt to intimidate them. There were five left, one who Cole vaguely recognized. When the realization struck him what the demon's speciality was, he screamed out, "Sky get OUT of here!"
The demon smirked and suddenly Crystal had blinked into his arms. He'd conjured her from out of her protective bubble straight to him. "No!" Cole shouted and lunged. He was blinded by a sudden burst of orange and yellow light. Staggering back, blinking furiously to clear away the white dots swarming his vision, he squinted and saw that the demons were all gone, fading away in flutters of ash. Crystal was nowhere to be seen. Cole stared with wide-eyed horror. "Cr—Crys…" he stuttered. Then, there came a baby's cry. Rushing over to her crib, Cole found his little girl inside, very upset but otherwise unharmed. "Ohhh," he sighed in immense relief.
The sound of sniffles brought back his attention to Sky, who was still standing with his back to the crib, orange force field slowly fading away around him. "Aw, Sky…" Cole murmured, scooping up the frightened infant. The boy wrapped his little arms around his father's neck, shuddering with choked sobs.
"Shhh, shh shhh," Cole tried to soothe him. He looked around the Penthouse warily, but apart from a few piles of dust, there were no more warlocks and demons to be seen. Holding his son in a close cuddle, he gently rocked him. Crystal was still crying and the sound of her terrified wails coupled with Sky's snivelling filled Cole with a frustration and desperation he'd never experienced in such intensity before. He felt for the beeper he and Phoebe always kept on them and pressed, knowing it would get her right over.
"Shhh," he hushed, ignoring the throbbing pain in his back and shoulder. "It's all going to be all right."
************************************************
On the other side of the city, in a small, cheerful apartment, a demon shimmered in and collapsed on the floor, stinging all over. Rolling onto his back, he allowed himself to catch his breath and acknowledge the injuries he'd sustained. If he weren't an upper-level demon, the shock would have fried him, but as he was so strong it had only burned him. Still, another pelt from that sort of voltage would have rendered him unconscious, and then he would have been at the mercy of one very pissed-off father.
As Frank stared at the ceiling, rasping for air, a shadow fell on him. A woman leaned over him.
"What the Hell are you doing here?" she demanded.
******************************
Phoebe had been taking in all of Piper's concerns about Sky's future as a child, not just as a witch or as a demon. She began to stop thinking about the insult to her and her husband's ability to raise him as a Good being and more about Sky's own predicament as a budding little person. This was a side, she was ashamed to admit, she hadn't really thought about, being so caught up on what binding or softening his powers would have meant for his magical destiny.
Presently, her big sister was putting a comforting arm around her and calmly reassuring her. "I have faith in you both to be great parents to Crystal and Sky. And I know in my heart that whatever decision you make, it'll be the right one. I just wanted to offer a different viewpoint, because I understand pretty well what you're going through."
Phoebe nodded slowly, a heavy weight both being lifted and put on her shoulders. Sharing the worry with Piper had helped, but being reminded what an epic decision she and Cole really had to make had brought home the fact that it would mould Sky forever.
"Said like a real magical mommy," Paige chirped up after sitting in on their sisterly conversation. Phoebe smiled wanly. "I'm so glad I'm not alone in this magic baby rearing business!"
Her beeper suddenly went off. It took her a moment to register and then panic set in. "Cole," she breathed. Looking up at Paige, she cried, "Something's wrong. You have to take me to the Penthouse."
Paige wasted no time in asking questions and rushed over to her sister.
"Do you want me to come?" Piper asked worriedly.
"No, you stay here with Leo and look out for your kids," Phoebe said, latching onto Paige's arm. The two orbed out immediately after.
Phoebe was already in a fighting pose when she arrived, but to her astonishment found that there were no demons in sight. Then she noticed all the damage. Rounding the corner, the sisters spotted a badly hurt Cole in an armchair, cradling an unhappy Sky.
"Cole!" Phoebe cried and ran over to him. "I'm fine, just go comfort Crystal," he told her, voice a little shaky.
As Phoebe gathered her daughter up in her arms, Paige knelt before the weary, battered ex-demon and his son and looked them both over with concern. "What happened here?" she asked him.
"Demons. About eight of them…all struck at once. I fought off some of them. Sky took care of the rest. He used a shorthand premonition on me, to warn me of a demon about to stab me! I've never had one of those. It was incredible… But if he hadn't helped, I would have, I mean we might have…"
"Shh," Paige hushed, not wanting the little boy to hear anything disturbing. "We need Leo," she announced.
"Wait, I don't want Piper to be alone right now. Go back to the Manor and get Leo and then stay there, please, Paige?" Phoebe requested.
Paige nodded and orbed out.
Crystal finally calmed down, feeling safe in her mother's arms. Phoebe cradled her and approached her husband. "I'm so sorry you were alone. I shouldn't have left…"
Cole shook his head fervently. "No, you were right to go. We aren't always going to be together to defend them. And Sky helped protect himself and his sister. Phoebe you should have seen it! He sent me a warning, he put up a force field, he even managed to teleport his sister back into her crib after a warlock got---"
"Teleport? He can teleport things?" Phoebe's jaw dropped.
Cole closed his eyes, nodding tiredly. "Yeah. I just found out today."
Sky had quietened down and was sucking his thumb, still tightly clutching his father.
"My brave little boy," Phoebe cooed over him. Leo orbed in and attended to Cole.
"Paige said you got hit by several demons!" Leo exclaimed as he began to heal Cole's wounds. "Did you recognize any of them?"
"Just one, vaguely. He's a demon with warlock's powers. I remember him from long ago. He tried to take Crystal, but Sky teleported her back to safety."
Leo turned and looked up slowly at Phoebe. "Don't look at me! I only just found out myself."
Leo finished healing and stood up and looked around. "Looks like there was a big fight here. Not one I want to see repeated. Cole maybe we should all go back to the Manor and give you and Phoebe a chance to look for that demon in the Book of Shadows."
"Well he's dead now, but yeah…be a good idea to figure out who he was, maybe give us some leads as to who he was working for," Cole agreed, getting up gingerly. Although his wounds were healed, her still felt echoes of the aches in his back.
"Phoebe," Cole addressed his wife earnestly. "If Sky hadn't used his…non-witch abilities, we all would have been—"
"I know," Phoebe cut him off. "Later."
The family left the Penthouse.
********************
After Leo had checked both Sky and Crystal were completely unharmed, they were put to bed while the family started putting up defenses. Traps were set, potions were brewed and spells were cast in anticipation of a big attack. Meanwhile, Cole and Phoebe thumbed through the book.
"I remember when this thing used to jump at the sight of me," Cole muttered as he turned a page.
"Seems like a long time ago, huh?" Phoebe said, holding his free arm. Cole nodded thoughtfully. "There," he said.
"That's the demon?" Phoebe asked as she took in the image of a toothy but otherwise human looking person.
"Not exactly. It's a token image of a warlock demon mix. They're rare but there's clearly enough of them causing trouble to warrant an entry in the Book. They tend to ally themselves with other mixed clans."
"Other hybrids or just mixed groups?"
"The latter," Cole confirmed as he read on. "Aside from that all it tells us is that they are frequently hired by faction leaders as they're notoriously difficult to vanquish."
"But you got him?" Phoebe observed.
"Not me, Sky, and that is because Sky's powers are demonic. Fighting him with witch powers would have been more difficult. You'd need a vanquishing spell, probably a potion too. In fact, it says you will." He pointed to the section on how to kill such a hybrid.
"Good thing he had them, then," Phoebe muttered as she copied the spell onto a piece of paper.
"Wait, he's dead now, why are you taking down the spell?" Cole queried.
"Because more like him could come back. Hey, do you remember where he was when he was killed?"
"Um, I think so. Why?"
"Because I'm hoping I can get a flashback of the demon who sent him. The leader."
Piper came into the attic, looking worried.
"Oh no, what is it?" Phoebe covered her face with her hand and peered through her fingers. She instinctively knew Piper was going to bear bad news.
"I just thought you should know that Leo has been summoned by the Elders again. Most likely to deliver an update on your decision to them."
"Or lack thereof," Phoebe groaned. "They sure didn't give us long to ponder it."
"That's because they expected us simply to obey," Cole growled.
Before he could launch into a tirade, Piper said, "Well in case it gets ugly and you're forced to make up your mind on whether to bind, strip or to draw out…". Piper held out her hand and opened her palm. The Drawing stone was sitting on it, smooth and gleaming.
Cole shook his head silently and turned to Phoebe, who simply groaned again.
******************************
Frank had passed out from his injuries shortly after being asked what he was doing where he was. When he woke up, he found himself in Horates's lair. Startled, he sat up quickly and looked wildly around.
"How did I get here?"
A dark, smooth voice came from the shadows.
"I summoned you here. I wanted a report and seeing as you were the only demon to survive the ambush attempt, I had to take you from wherever it was you were hiding."
Frank turned to the speaker and saw Horates emerge, head tilted in curiosity with a smug smile pulling at his lips.
"Congratulations in being the last man standing."
"Barely. If I hadn't shimmered out of there when I did…"
"Under normal circumstances I'd punish such cowardice. But in this case I recognise it as sense. You knew when the battle was lost and saved your skin. Nothing wrong with that," Horates leered over him. "Now tell me how exactly did the battle conclude?"
Frank swallowed hard. "Badly. Belthazar packs a hell of a punch. I don't know where he got so many powers from, but he sure knows how to use them. I could see the infant's force field building. I knew that was a bad sign and got out of there after I was electrocuted. In that weakened state, I was no good to anyone, and less use if I was incinerated, which is what, I suspect, happened to your protégés. Speaking of them, aren't you upset by their loss?"
Horates drew to his full height and cracked his knuckles as he stretched. "Not at all. I weeded out a man from the boys, now, didn't I?"
Frank held Horates in a wary gaze. Horates chuckled. "No need to be suspicious, Grindavor. I'm genuine in my praise for you. Keep this up, and you'll upgrade to one of my elite forces."
Frank had not heard his demon name used in a while, having spent so much time in the shadows or above ground spying on the witches. He was reluctant to tell his name, human or demonic, to anyone, lest it somehow meet the ears of a witch determined to vanquish him. But Horates was not a demon to be trifled with and so he had come clean on his demonic history. Still, for some reason, perhaps to break him in, Horates had sent him on this suicide mission. Frank only hoped he had proven his worth, as that was an uncomfortably close brush with death he just had.
"What next?" Frank asked, hesitantly taking Horates's hand. The Egyptian helped him up and then started moving over to his Alter.
"For now, I merely want information. Tell me all about Belthazar's powers, and those of the infant. The more we know, the better prepared we can be next time."
"The Charmed Ones will find you. They have techniques of following demonic leads," Frank began, hoping to deter Horates from any more attempts.
Horates simpered and knelt at his Alter, performing a brief protection rite. "You needn't worry about my safety. I have taken precautions. And I intend to lie low for a while. With your knowledge, I can start planning for the future."
******************************
"Okay, I need to get back to the Penthouse and scoop up some of those ashes and see if I can get a reading off them," Phoebe said while gathering a few scraps of paper on which she'd jotted down some spells.
"Phoebe, you can't run away from this. You need to make up your mind about what you're going to do," Piper admonished. "They're going to be grilling Leo and his next stop is going to be down here with a metaphorical gun to his head."
"Cole, let's go," Phoebe latched onto her husband's arm.
"Phoebe, don't put this off!" Piper cried.
Phoebe and Cole looked set to leave when Piper grabbed Phoebe by the shoulder. "Look before you shimmer out, at least take the Drawing Stone. Have it handy, just in case you're forced to make a choice. If I know you two, and I think I do by now, you're more inclined to opt to soften Sky's powers than bind or strip them altogether."
Phoebe cast down her eyes solemnly and then opened her hand. "Okay."
Piper placed the stone in her sister's hand and watched them shimmer away. "Augh," she sighed. "What are they doing?"
* * *
Back at the Penthouse, Phoebe went for where she expected the ashes to be and Cole investigated the apartment to make sure it was demon free.
"What the hell?"
Cole heard his partner's cry echo through the apartment. As he came into the living area, he realized why.
"The ash piles. They're gone!" Phoebe pointed at clean floors.
"Not even a smudge. I've never seen demon ash just vanish. Sometimes they leave in a poof with no trace but there were definitely ash piles here when we left!"
Cole scratched his head and stared at the floors in confusion. "Someone must have cleaned up while we were away," he said.
"Someone who doesn't want to be found," Phoebe added.
"Well for the moment we can assume he's busy covering his tracks, whoever he is. We need to focus on our immediate problem," Cole reminded.
Phoebe nodded. "Yes, we do. But don't worry, I think I have a plan."
"Really? Care to elaborate?" Cole began but was interrupted by a blue set of lights. Leo had orbed in and he wasn't alone. A robed man, almost bald and clearly aged, had come down with him.
"Where are the children?" the man asked.
"Who the heck are you?" Cole demanded, taking a hostile step forward.
"This is Elder Ronan," Leo quickly explained. "And I'll go fetch Sky and Crystal."
"Wait, Leo, what is he---" Phoebe started but Leo had already orbed out, ashen-faced.
"Leo can do nothing for you. You're under our jurisdiction now," Ronan said calmly.
"Like hell we are! Who do you think you are coming in her and telling me how to raise my son?" Cole almost yelled. Phoebe squeezed his arm. "Easy does it, Cole. Easy…". She hoped he understood. To her relief, he backed down a little.
"When you joined with a witch, you joined with all their attachments, and we are an undeniable element to their existence. If you don't like it, Belthazar, you can leave."
"Oh yeah? Try making me," Cole growled, face flushing hot with rage. Phoebe squeezed his arm again. "His name is Cole now, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't make him feel unwelcome. He's part of our family," Phoebe defended.
"Precisely why he needs to accept that as a family you have certain obligations. We are not enforcing this change to punish you, we are looking out for the safety of your son, yourselves, and the future of magic. No witch child should hold within him that much dark magic. It is far too dangerous."
Cole clenched his fists but resisted from lashing out again, feeling Phoebe once again squeeze his arm. She clearly wanted him to stay calm for a reason and he trusted her.
Leo then orbed in with a sleeping Crystal in his arms and Sky sleepily holding onto his leg.
Ronan cast a glance in the children's direction and then turned back to the parents. "You must now perform a power binding spell, or brew a potion to strip him of them. I will bear witness to that."
"What about the Drawing Stone? I thought that was an option, too," Phoebe stated.
"It still is, although given the recent surge in your son's powers, we were beginning to think it no longer a strong enough force…"
"Hey you can't present us with three choices yesterday and then cut one out today. I don't care who you are, that's totally unfair," Cole said angrily.
"We have it right here," Phoebe said and opened her palm. Sky immediately recoiled and hid behind Leo's leg.
Ronan was not amused by the child's reaction. "Already he shies away from it. I only hope it is not too late to use it on him."
"We will disguise it, cloak it if we have to. But you can bear witness to this," Phoebe said as she walked over to Sky's crib.
"I am placing it right here. And I will keep it there and you can drop by whenever you darn well please to check it's still there."
Cole just stared at his wife, barely managing to contain an outburst. But he felt that she knew what she was doing. Ronan looked at her suspiciously.
"I must have your word that this is what you will do. Otherwise, there will be consequences."
"You have my word. I will keep this stone by his crib and his playpen for the next two years. I'd rather that than take away his powers altogether."
"Very well. Do expect us to "drop in" as you put it, from time to time, to make sure things are in order. And do not forget, Phoebe and Cole, we are doing this for your own benefit. In fact, for everyone's." With those words, the Elder orbed away.
A heavy silence filled the air. Finally, Leo spoke up. "Phoebe I'm so sorry. There was nothing I could do to change their minds."
"It's okay, Leo," Phoebe said, taking Crystal from him. She pecked him affectionately on the cheek. "We know you did all you can."
Cole came over and took Sky up in his arms. The infant was looking warily at the smooth stone at the base of one of the legs of his crib.
"Are you sure you're gonna be all right here tonight?" Leo asked.
"We'll be fine," Phoebe said tiredly. "Go home. It's best you're on hand to help Piper in case the Manor gets attacked next."
With a defeated expression, Leo orbed out.
Putting Crystal in her crib, Phoebe said to Cole, "Can you take Sky back a few paces?"
"Yes, but why…?"
"You'll see," she said enigmatically.
Taking a scrap of paper from her pocket, she leaned over the stone and whispered:
"With these words I will expunge
The power from this magic sponge
And banish them with this spell
Leaving just an empty shell."
An orb of yellow light rose from the stone and dissipated in the air. The stone had risen a few centimetres off the ground but once the light disappeared it dropped, making a flat, dead sound on the floor.
Phoebe straightened up from her hunched position and looked at her stunned husband. "Inspired from something out of the Book of Shadows. Now let's just hope," she said very softly, "That no one up there heard it."
Cole nodded almost imperceptibly and Sky relaxed in his arms. The infant raised no fuss at being put in his crib, knowing now that the Drawing stone had no power left to soften his.
As the couple gazed down at their son, Phoebe said quietly, "We're going to need Julia's tutoring more than ever, now."
*************************************
Across the city, in a cheerfully decorated apartment, a demon was summoned.
"This will be the last time we meet at this location," he was told. "It is too dangerous and we need to arrange another place to gather. Somewhere public. I don't want you leading the witches or any demons, for that matter, to this place. It might blow my cover."
Frank folded his arms and rolled his eyes. "Fine. Excuse me from dropping in when I had nowhere else to go, what being electrocuted at all."
"You're very fortunate that you were summoned away from here and that Horates didn't come to collect you personally. If he had discovered you are working with me, everything could be ruined. You and I need to meet less in future. Only when it is absolutely necessary."
"Understood," Frank said, gazing around his surroundings. "Gee, I love what you've done with the place. Made up like a true mortal."
"Only for a while. When you have lived as long as I have, being mortal for seven years doesn't seem too long a stretch. And it is necessary, in case the witches come by unexpectedly one day. I must keep up appearances."
"And stay human lest the little tyke use his Evil Revealer on you," Frank said, holding up his hands and wriggling his fingers for creepy effect.
"All the more reason to keep me out of the path of danger. Until he comes of age, I am vulnerable. Now go. I believe you have made it into the inner circle of Horates's clan," she said.
"I'm making progress in that direction," Frank replied and shimmered out.
In his wake, the Seer smiled.
***************************************