Legacy 105: With Mortals Like These
Part 6
Xxx
As she was brewing the dispossession potion with Prue, Melinda could not help but stare at the basement door. She hated the fact that Ryan was down there, tied up and possessed. She feared for his safety and had no idea what it was like to be possessed. She just hoped he wasn't in any pain. Maybe he was asleep, and had no idea what was happening. That would be best. When the kitchen door opened, Melinda looked up and saw her father come in. Like a little girl, she began crying and ran into his arms. Behind him, her brothers also entered the kitchen.
"It is okay, honey." Leo whispered as he held her. "We will fix this, I promise."
"How did you get here, is it safe for you?" Melinda asked as she calmed down and wiped her tears. "I can't handle you being possessed as well."
"Don't worry about me." Leo replied. "You got the manor protected, so I am fine. We are going to take Ryan to Magic School. He will be safe there."
"Are you sure?" Melinda asked.
"It is our best shot." Wyatt said. "It will be better for him and for us as well. As long as he is here, he is a threat as well."
"What?" Melinda asked angrily.
"I don't mean it as a bad thing." Wyatt replied. "It is just a fact. He is possessed, Mel, if he gets out, he could hurt one of us."
"Okay, yeah, I understand." Melinda said quickly. "I am sorry, I am just really scared."
"We understand." Leo replied.
"I tried so hard to get away from magic." Melinda said. "I had a normal life, I was happy with Ryan. Why did this have to happen to him?"
"It is happening to the entire city." Chris said. "It is not your fault."
"Isn't it?" Melinda asked. "Doesn't magic always hurt the people I love? Like mom? The warlock that killed her was after me as well."
"Melinda, listen to me." Leo said strictly as he looked her in the eyes. "This is not your fault, I understand better than anyone the pain magic can cause, but we don't control what happens in our lives. We are not responsible for the acts of others. Whoever is behind this, we need to stick together and fight it."
"I can't fight." Melinda replied tearfully. "I just want Ryan back."
"And we will get him back." Leo said determined.
"I think the dispossession potion is ready." Prue said as she stirred the boiling blue liquid in the pan. "This could be over sooner than we think."
Melinda waited as the others poured the potion in a small bottle while her father had a comforting arm around her. When the potion was finished, Wyatt led them into the basement while Prue went back to the living room. When Melinda headed down the stairs, she held her breath.
Ryan was still bound in the chair, staring down to the floor while mumbling something in a demonic language. When he heard them, his head shot up and pitch black eyes looked at her. It sent a chill down her spine. It was his face, but there was only evil there.
"Finally." Ryan said in a demonic voice.
"Listen to me, demon." Leo said as he stepped forward. "I demand to know who you are and what you want."
"I want to paint these walls with your family's blood." Ryan replied with an evil smile. "I will save your daughter for last, enjoy her screams while I…"
Before the thing possessing Ryan could continue, Leo hit him across the face and Melinda let out a shocked scream. She had never seen her father react like that. However, she did not want to hear all the vile things that monster had to say.
"Who are you? Who sent you?" Leo asked again.
"It is the essence of the Source." Chris said as he stepped forward, at which point the demon glared at him. "Isn't that right?"
"Only a fraction." Ryan replied. "A tiny fraction is all that is needed to overtake the minds of the weak mortals in this city."
"So you're not truly the Source." Leo reasoned. "Just the essence, used as a sentient weapon. I assume all mortals are connected, one mind controlling countless bodies? But then there has to be something controlling you."
"It has to be Julian." Chris said determined. "He wants revenge and he is using the essence to get it. Who else could it be?"
Ryan stared at them in silence and then began laughing. "You witches think you are so smart." He said. "You don't stand a chance. We will break through your pathetic little crystals soon enough."
"Alright, we've heard enough." Wyatt said. "Let's just use the potion."
"We still need to know who is behind this!" Chris argued.
"Do you really think it is going to tell us?" Wyatt replied with a frown.
"Wyatt is right, we are not getting any more information." Leo said. "If there is a chance we can free Ryan, we have to take it right away."
Chris nodded with disapproval and threw the dispossession potion at Ryan's feet. The bottle exploded and engulfed Ryan in white smoke, causing him to cough. Melinda desperately hoped it would work. However, when the smoke cleared, pitch black eyes were still glaring at her. The potion had done nothing.
"Was that it?" Ryan asked unimpressed.
"I told you it would not work." Chris said as he turned to the others. "If we want to free him, we need to go after the person who caused all of this."
"Alright, I guess you're right." Wyatt said. "First thing we need to do is get Ryan to Magic School. I'll orb him there."
Wyatt circled Ryan and placed a hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and focused, but nothing happened. He tried again and frowned when he remained motionless. Ryan began laughing demonically and Melinda realized something was very wrong. If her brothers could not orb, it meant they were trapped in the manor.
Xxx
When Prue entered the living room, she noticed Henry and Payton studying the Book of Shadows on the couch while Penny was in the chair with a notepad, trying to write a spell. She headed to the broken window and looked outside. Even though it was dark, she could still see the hundreds possessed mortals all around them. It was a very frightening idea, being trapped like this. When she turned around, she was startled by the sudden appearance of a column of orbs, which formed into Noah. With everything going on, she was relieved to see him.
"Any news?" Prue asked.
"Well, you were right, the problem seems to be limited to San Francisco." Noah said. "The Elders don't know exactly what caused it, but they seem convinced that in order to free the innocent, you need to go after the one causing all of this."
"Do they think it could be Julian?" Prue asked.
"They couldn't say." Noah replied.
"So it is possible..." Prue reasoned.
"Yes." Noah replied.
"I still don't believe it." Payton said as she stood up and joined them. "Seriously, why is it so easy for you all to blame him? Just like how you're blaming mom for what happened."
"Payton, we need to look at the facts." Penny interrupted. "Julian has motive and opportunity. He is the only one capable of doing this."
"Really?" Payton asked with a frown. "What about Barbas? He is still out there somewhere, and this seems pretty nightmarish to me."
"It is possible, but it doesn't seem likely." Prue said.
"We don't know anything about Julian." Payton replied. "Even if he is somehow connected to this, that still doesn't mean he is responsible. Like it or not, he is part of our lives now, and we need to find a way to deal with that. And you need to find a way to forgive mom."
"I hate to say it, but out very smart and annoying little sister does have a tiny point." Penny admitted reluctantly.
"What do you think?" Prue asked as she turned to Noah.
"Oh no. I am not getting involved in this." Noah quickly said as he threw his hands up. "You made it perfectly clear you don't want to meddle in your personal lives. I am not burning my fingers on this."
"Okay." Prue said after a moment. "I am willing to admit you may have a point. But I am still not convinced Julian is not dangerous. I doubt he sees us as family."
"And…?" Payton asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't lecture me, you're just a kid." Prue said annoyed. "A really bright one, but still. Fine, when all of this is over, we will have a long talk with mom, agreed?"
"Agreed." Penny said.
At that moment, a ruffled sound came from the hall. When Prue entered the hall, she saw Wyatt and Chris were carrying an unconscious Ryan into the hall and placed him on the floor. When she noticed his hands were tied, she realized the potion had failed. She walked toward them with the rest behind her, while Melinda and Leo arrived from the kitchen.
"What is going on?" Penny asked.
"The potion failed, and we're got another problem." Wyatt said. "We can't orb."
"Oh god." Prue said and she instantly tried to beam with no effect. "I can't teleport either."
"So we're trapped." Henry remarked. "Like rats."
"We can still try the portal to Magic School." Leo said as he headed up the stairs. He knocked on the wall and the door magically appeared. He put his hand through and then stepped through entirely. "Alright, let's get out of here." He said from the other side.
Wyatt and Chris nodded and lifted the unconscious Ryan off the floor. They headed up the stairs and tried to step through the door, though as soon as Chris reached it, he hit an invisible wall. "What the hell?" Chris called out as he placed his hand on the invisible wall. "Something is blocking me."
"Let me try." Wyatt said as he dropped Ryan and tried to get through the door, only to be blocked as well. "I can't get through either."
"Something is keeping you in place." Leo reasoned. "Preventing you from leaving through magic."
"How come you can get through?" Chris asked.
"Perhaps it is because I am mortal." Leo guessed. "Or something is specifically blocking you."
"If that is the case, I won't be able to orb you either." Noah added.
"So we really are trapped?" Payton asked panicky.
Suddenly, the lights in the manor suddenly went out, causing a blackout. There was a slight panic among the cousins until Wyatt turned on a flashlight he got from the closet and called for everyone to be quiet. A loud noise turned everyone's attention to the door and Prue saw the shadows of possessed mortals slamming against it. One of the protective crystals by the door was flashing softly.
"The crystals will give in any minute." Chris said. "They cut the power and are working their way in. They know we're trapped."
"Dad, you have to take Ryan." Melinda said as she headed up the stairs to the door. "At least that way, he will be safe."
"Alright." Leo said. "I will look after him."
"Noah, please help him." Prue said.
Noah nodded and he helped carry Ryan through the magical door. As she watched them, Prue could feel the love Melinda had for Ryan and her fear for his safety. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. She quickly looked at Noah and felt some of the same concern. He could not help them here, so it was better he stayed at the school.
"You need to get out of here." Leo said. "Chris is right, you need to find whoever is causing this."
"How are we supposed to get past the innocent?" Wyatt asked.
"Do whatever you can without hurting them. Your force field should keep them at bay." Leo said. "Find somewhere safe and figure this out. I know you can do it."
"Alright, thanks dad." Wyatt said.
"I wish I could do more." Leo said frustrated.
"You've done enough, dad. Now go!" Chris replied.
Before Leo could respond Wyatt grabbed the door and slammed it shut, causing it to disappear. Just like that, they were gone and only the cousins remained in the dark.
"Wyatt, what are we going to do?" Melinda asked worried.
"We are going to run." Wyatt said as he turned to the others. "We go out the back, try to find a car and get as far away as possible."
"We won't all fit in one car." Penny said.
"Then we need to split up and meet somewhere." Wyatt said. "A place where we can hide, where we can figure this out. Somewhere they will not think to look. I think I know a place. An old warehouse where I did a photo shoot a few weeks ago, by the docks."
"I know which one you mean." Chris replied. "So how are we going to do this?"
"Let me think." Wyatt said.
Prue suddenly got an overwhelming sense of aggression and knew what was coming. "No time! Run!" She screamed.
Not a second later, the front door burst open and the possessed poured in like wild animals going after fresh prey. Wyatt quickly raised his hands and formed a force field to hold them back, though they were coming in through the windows as well. Chris began pushing them back with Telekinesis, but it was clear there were too much to handle.
"Back door, now!" Wyatt screamed.
Prue instinctively grabbed Payton by the hand and started running for the kitchen, sensing the others were right behind her. When they entered the kitchen, more possessed entered through the back door. Prue focused and unleashed a blast of pink energy from her forehead, which knocked out several the possessed mortals. When more showed up, Melinda quickly froze them in place and they ran out of the manor.
The cousins ran through the garden and ended up in a small alley through the bushes. The possessed were swarming around them like a horde of zombies on both sides. Prue fired another psychic blast at one side, while Melinda froze the others, but they were still trapped between them.
"Now what?!" Penny called out as the possessed closed in on them.
A possessed man launched forward at Payton, though Henry grabbed her arm and the man orbed right through them. Penny then kicked him and knocked him out. At that moment, Wyatt and Chris ran outside and Wyatt quickly formed a large force field around the cousins. However, Prue sensed it was putting a lot of strain on his body.
"This won't last forever." Wyatt remarked gasping.
"I can orb through the crowd, but I can't extend my power to everyone." Henry said.
"I think I can clear a path through them." Chris said. "We need to split up now, Wyatt and I know where to meet, so one half goes with me, the other with Wyatt."
"Well, who goes with who?" Prue asked.
"No time to vote on it, I can't hold the force field any longer!" Wyatt called out. "Time to run!"
As the force field shattered, the possessed mortals started charging at them with demonic growls. Prue tried to reach for Payton, but felt herself being pulled the other way by Penny. She saw Chris extend his arms and telekinetically cleared a path by pushing the possessed aside. He yelled at them to follow and Prue ran after him. She looked over her shoulder, but she could no longer see the others through the crowd.
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