Look! Two updates in the same month! Are you all amazed? Anyway, here is chapter 21... I've introduced a new character in this chapter (disclaimer: she belongs to Charmed, i didn't make her up etc etc) and I know everyone seems to hate her but it had to happen at some point didn't it? Well...I can't remember if I ever mentioned this before but this story will eventually end up with being somewhere on the way to Chris-Crossed so it did have to happen! Anyway this story is predominantly about Wyatt and Chris so any other characters are only really peripherary anyway.

Oh and at the end Wyatt is referring to the rhyme "red sky at night, shepherds delight; red sky in the morning, shepherds warning." (or whatever variation you might know it as).

..And what is up with the document editor? It keeps deleting things when I save this. Grrrrrr. Let me know if you notice any mistakes!

Mwah and please review! x

Chapter 21: Red Sky at Night

A few days had passed since Chris and Darryl's escape from Wyatt's clutches and the time had passed in a whirlwind of bustle and activity. The Elder's had been true to their word and had sent news of the resistance group far and wide across the magical community. The response, although slow to start, had been gratifying. A large proportion of those wishing to join were residing in the magically enlarged Sanctuary with more arriving every day. They were even organised enough to have teams of scouts out and about in San Francisco, hoping to pick up any information that could be useful to the Resistance.

Chris was currently secluded away in the corner of a room discussing battle tactics with Darryl, Orion and another Elder called Mayer. Mayer had apparently been an army doctor in life, like Leo, so had some ideas of what to expect in a close quarters battle.

"We need to accept that a lot of the Resistance have never fought before, and even with the training they're receiving now they're unlikely to be able to kill a demon in a one-on-one fight." Chris was arguing. "We need to come up with a plan that won't get them all slaughtered."

Darryl sighed, "Chris, I agree in principle but without fighting them how exactly do you propose on winning? Wyatt seized power by force and he's holding onto it by force."

"Exactly." Mayer nodded grimly, "We're going to have to train all members to the best of their abilities and finish this in an all out fight. Surround Wyatt and fight our way to the centre. Create a sort of cordon, if you like."

Chris was shaking his head still, "No, no, no. Wyatt has too many demons and we have too few fighters. They'll break through the cordon and we'll end up being clustered in little groups with no hope of victory."

Orion, who had been silent up until this point, stirred and interjected quietly, "Then we need to draw out some of his demons. Create a diversion."

"Yes," Darryl lighted up, "That would work. If we can remove some of the demons from the city centre and take it over then our positions will be reversed. We'll have the stronghold while Wyatt will be hiding out with nowhere safe to go."

Mayer frowned, "I think our priority must be to capture or kill Wyatt." He ignored Chris's flinch at these words and carried on regardless, "If we remove their leader then they'll be disorganised and things will revert to the way they always are after the death of a source: internal power struggles killing off all the most powerful demons. We'll have time to regroup and reaffirm our position before a new leader emerges."

"Again, good in principle, but slightly more difficult in practise." Darryl pointed out, "Wyatt is the twice-blessed, most powerful witch of all time etc etc. He'll be well guarded and even if we break through the demons he's probably strong enough to defeat us all single handed."

"If we could somehow make a potion that would bind his powers without him having to drink it..." Chris mused, "But Prue and I already tried that and we couldn't make one."

Orion nodded, "Yes, it is difficult to bind a witch's powers without their consent. Especially one as powerful as your brother."

"Well..." Chris broke off as a cacophony of noise suddenly exploded from the courtyard. "What is that?" he asked, worriedly getting to his feet.

The four men rushed outside and were met by a horrifying sight. A scout team had, using their various forms of teleportation, appeared back in the courtyard in various states of bloodstained disarray. Two of the five were clearly dead, their unseeing eyes staring blankly out of damaged bodies.

A dark-haired girl with one hand wrapped around her copiously bleeding arm, looked towards Chris and the others and gasped out, "We were attacked...demons..." She closed her eyes slightly in pain and Orion immediately rushed forward to heal her wound.

Chris followed and supported the girl while the gash in her arm closed and colour began to flood back into her cheeks. "We thought we should bring the bodies back..." she added uncertainly, after smiling her thanks at Orion.

Chris withdrew his arm, "Are you alright?" he asked solicitously, unable to ignore the fact that she was very pretty with warm brown eyes. He also couldn't help noticing that she was probably only a few years older than him.

"Yeah...yes I'm fine now. Thank you." the girl smiled at him, sending butterflies swooping into Chris's stomach.

He tried to ignore them by clearing his throat and asking what had happened.

"We were nearing the City Hall, when we saw a group of demons standing around outside." the girl began her story, "So we thought...I mean, we were curious, they were having some sort of heated discussion and one of them matched the description of that brute demon, Kezlar was it? So we snuck closer into one of the alleys and, one of the witches, she knew a sound enhancing spell, so, so she used it and we were listening in when all of a sudden we were surrounded by a load of demons. We started attacking them, but they just called over the demons we were eavesdropping on and suddenly we were seriously outnumbered."

She cast her gaze over to where the rest of the team were, "Brenda was killed pretty much straight away," she muttered, "Knife straight to the chest, and then Adam got hit with an energy ball. I mean, we weren't going to win, only get the rest of us killed, so I shouted for us all to transport ourselves out of there on the count of three...and well, we couldn't leave the others behind for those scum demons to get their hands on."

"You came straight here?" Orion asked gently.

The girl shook her head, "We agreed beforehand, to go to this park. We were told they might be able to track us straight here..?"

Orion nodded in relief, "Yes we fear they might." He turned to Mayer who was standing just behind him, "Mayer, if you could..."

"They're going to attack the rest of California. Tomorrow." The girl cut in abruptly.

"W-what?" Chris frowned in confusion.

"That's what we heard." the girl explained, "I'm sorry I should have told you straight away, but..." her eyes travelled to the two dead witches before focusing on Chris again. "That brute demon was going on about how he was trying a capture an Elder but he couldn't because the demons were so useless, and how he didn't have time to supervise them 24/7 as he was also overseeing the plans for the attack tomorrow."

"He specifically said, it would be the rest of California and it was happening tomorrow?" Chris demanded, his eyes igniting with a determined fire.

"Yes."

"Orion..." Chris turned to the Elder but he needed no prompting.

"I shall call a meeting immediately. Perhaps if...Bianca isn't it?" The girl nodded, "Perhaps if you could join us too and relate what you heard."

Bianca nodded, "Of course."

'Bianca' Chris repeated in his mind as he directed the girl in question towards the meeting place, 'That's a pretty name...'

"Is everything set?" Wyatt demanded of the semi-circle of demons standing before him.

Murmurs of "Yes M'Lord." sounded from about the room.

"Good." Wyatt stood up and smiled majestically, "Tomorrow we shall be triumphant again and if successful you will all be rewarded handsomely."

The demons exchanged greedy grins and one even went so far as to rub his hands together gleefully.

"But..." Wyatt went on silkily, a dangerous undertone clearly evident, "If any of you, for any reason, fail in the task I have set you, then. You. Will. Be OBLITERATED! Do I make myself clear?" Wyatt was shouting now, although the piercing blueness of his eyes showed him to be in complete control. "I want California! And California I shall get. So do NOT fail me!"

The demons were suitably cowed, yet equally determined to successfully complete their part in the plan. They didn't want to be killed before they received any of the glory that would undoubtedly be coming their way.

Wyatt turned his gaze to Kezlar, standing in the coveted position at the far left of the semi-circle. "I wish to inspect the troops." he informed the brute demon coldly, "Are they prepared?"

"Yes M'Lord. I will show you the way M'Lord."

"Very well." Wyatt nodded, "You are all dismissed. Just remember, by the end of tomorrow I want to hold all of California in my grasp. And I will let nothing stand in my way. See that you don't."

As the demons filed out, Kezlar waiting patiently behind, Wyatt turned to the window to watch the setting sun. The sky had turned a deep blood red and Wyatt laughed at the irony. He doubted anyone would be feeling any delight tomorrow.