Shape of Things to Come Part 2:Times they are changing Chapter 11 Let me speak, sir, For heaven now bids me; and the words I utter Let none think flattery, for they'll find 'em truth. ..........(Henry VII Scene 5 William Shakespeare )

If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak then unto me.
(William Shakespeare)

In the early hours of the Monday before Phoebe, Paige and Charlie visited the Human Resources department at the San Francisco university, the half-demon, half-mortal, Guardian protector of the Balance of Magic in the near-earth realms, Belthezor, also known as the lawyer Cole Turner was woken by an insistent message on the spirit winds. He seriously considered ignoring the call, because between family, magic, his work as a lawyer and his calling to maintain the balance between Good and Evil a full night’s sleep was something very rare.

However, as he snoozed on, the stirring in the spirit winds became a storm, so much so that it destroyed his restful slumbering completely. The perseverance of the call both annoyed and concerned Cole because lately his general irritation with those calling him was not a vague, abstract annoyance but a disquiet he could clearly articulate. He worried because he had little knowledge or clear understanding about higher beings, arbiters, authorities who called him to serve.

From the time he had answered his calling as a Guardian of the near-earth realms, Cole never doubted the virtue of that calling, never doubted that it was the opposite of evil. Consequently, he readily accepted the boundaries of his calling such as only ex-demons could be Guardians because they alone could resist the temptations that came with their great powers. Other Guardians and his whitelighter, Francesca described his choice to serve as a walk toward the light, a walk through a fire of his own making, a fire that had cleansed the evil from his soul, and he had no disagreement with their words.

After Cole made his choice to serve as a Guardian, the relief that he no longer served Evil was palpable. However, when the first flush of liberation receded, Cole eventually concluded that he was not truly free, just free of Evil and those he served were as insistent as his previous masters as almost daily they asked him to make his choice to serve, and to validate his long hard journey away from Evil.

Although his journey from demon to a Guardian beyond evil allowed him to exist as the seemingly mortal lawyer Cole Turner, the Guardian Belthezor was truly a creature of the spirit winds. A little of Cole’s concerns about the identity of those who called him, he admitted to himself, was his uneasiness at facing his true reality in the spirit winds, not that he felt threatened as he journeyed through them, the opposite in fact. In these journeys he felt almost …protected, from Evil and more importantly the temptation to do acts of evil.

Who are ‘they’?

It was one of Leslie’s favourite questions when witnesses ascribed motives to unspecified people.

“They are Them,” Cole murmured, and then stopped his contemplations because whoever ‘they’ and ‘them’ were, their message to act or make the choice not to do so was insistent.

Cole hastily dressed in old jeans and a sweater that had seen better days, because the great Guardian Belthezor no longer needed to project an awesome physical presence, his magic one was enough. Then, as he stuck his phone in his pocket, despite the persistence of the call, he stopped for a few seconds to gaze at his wife. Despite her dramas of the previous week, Phoebe was sleeping soundly. She had moaned a little when he left the bed but then just reached for his pillow, pulling it close to her and sighing. As Cole watched her sleep, he felt that familiar deep tightness in his chest, the wonder that she loved him…still, trusted him more than ever, was content to live the life they shared.

He loved her. He loved her in her moods, her dreams, her ambitions and even her capriciousness, something he prayed would never change. As he watched his wife sleep, a strange and comforting peace fell on him, a peace that was almost as if someone, as if ‘they’ were granting him a reward for services, but then the swirling spirit winds became unrelenting, so he just touched her cheek before shimmering away.

As it turned out, Belthezor’s presence was required urgently, but the situation was not particularly stressful. Recently, Cole had been arbitrating a conflict between Kelpie clans in Canada, trying to settle the dispute without imposing an unjust solution that over time would reignite fighting and escalate the dispute into civil war. A dam project in the mountains in Canada had unfortunately led to one old established Kelpie realm being absorbed by another Kelpie realm. It appeared that ‘they’ or ‘them’ had decided that civil war amongst some of the more fey magic creatures was not conducive to the Balance of Magic.

Existing in sub-realms of the living earth world, Kelpies were equine creatures which inhabited lakes and large water bodies, not only in Scotland where they were first named, but in many of the lake and mountain districts of the world. They were generally law-abiding creatures whose only interests were their clans and caring for their domain. Their devotion to these things however, made them highly territorial and true to their equine origins, although basically gentle creatures, they could be ferocious fighters when they felt threatened.

The difficulty in this dispute was that any legal interpretation of who owned the water gave it to the newer owners, but the moral interpretation put it profoundly in the realm of the original owners. Cole often wondered if his daughter’s absolute passion for all equine creatures was the reason he got stuck with magic equines. Over the years he had dealt with unicorns, centaurs, and water horses of several different clans. Fate, karma he wondered.

He also wondered if his daughter’s passion would continue if she understood just how violent and vocal equine creatures could be when fighting for their territory.

Cole stopped the imminent danger of violence between the two Kelpie clans with firm words and a calm determination that they would recognise and concede to his arbitration and to some extent he resolved the immediate dispute between them. Knowing the new owners could not use the water without dominion Cole resorted to the legal pound of flesh argument that the new owner may have rights to the water but not to the dominion which was ceded to the old owners. However, he well knew that the Kelpie clans, law-abiding as they were, would at some time in the near future find some legal technicalities to bypass that ruling.

Having created a cease fire between the Kelpie clans, Cole shimmered, intending to return home for whatever sleep he could get, but mid-spirit winds he recognised an increasingly familiar connection to something higher than himself, to something that directed him, to something that touched him, or in this case rewarded him with simple expression of ‘well done’. He felt, more than saw the light ahead of him, around him and almost touched it but as he reached out it faded.

Therefore, his persistent uneasiness fully aroused, instead of returning home he shimmered to an isolated beach in the West Indies where he could watch the sunrise and still return to the Manor in time for the usual Monday morning chaos. He hoped the magic of the sunrise would settle his not exactly doubts, but definite apprehensions about his visions in the spirit winds and what they meant.

Sitting on the beach Cole thought of his whitelighter Francesca and his four brother Guardians and their roles, and his sense of reason told him that someone or something also called them. Given what he knew of his brother Guardians and the respect he had for their honesty and integrity and the length of their service, he reasoned one of them, all of them, must have found a satisfactory answer to the…concerns he was feeling. And he reasoned that his disquiet was an essential part of his journey because ‘they’, ‘them’ were not trying to control or misdirect his concerns. Unlike the petty powers of Good and Evil in the realms he knew.

Cole watched the water for some hours until the sun rose, and he came to a type of peace as he experienced the light, mixed with smell of sea and salt and the noise of the waves. The beauty of the spectacular almost unearthly light and colour surrounded him eased his qualms, giving him a sense of something more than himself, more than the realms he knew.

Just as the sun rose over the horizon, he saw orb lights flash brilliantly and then merge with the sunrise as his whitelighter/guide Francesca Rinaldi appeared in a cloud of white/blue light. She acknowledged him but wise in the ways of ex-demon creatures instead of approaching him in the first few minutes, she moved to the edge of the water. Barefoot, uncaring of the sea touching her whitelighter robe, Francesca immersing herself in the pink, red and orange light. Just for a second watching the lights of her orbs merge with the colours of the sunrise, Cole felt a slight connection and half-believed that he, maybe, understood a little of Greater Magic then the light began to fade and only a few words of that knowledge stayed with him.

He moved his gaze back to Francesca, and familiar as she was to him now, as he viewed her bathed in the remnants of the light of the sunrise, it occurred to him that whilst he knew parts of her story she held so much back, that he hardly knew her at all. Middle aged woman or ageless he did not know. He knew she had left her mortality more than a thousand years ago and served the cause of Good as a whitelighter since then. He had some knowledge she stayed serving the near-earth realms because her life was still incomplete, and because of a duty to him and an affection for him.

Watching her flushed in the pink light, the word indomitable crossed his mind. He was certain that should any Darklighter be unfortunate enough to cross her path she would simply give it her school-marm glare and it would be vanquished by its own power. Yet the word vulnerable also occurred to him because he knew she had the courage to live with her very human frailties.

Francesca finally turned and smiled. Because she was alone with him, she wore the face that explained much of the tragedies of her mortal life. Pock-marked from the diseases of her mortal time and twisted from a carelessly thrown stone that paralysed half of it, it was a face she hid from the present mortal world because of its repulsion to disfigurement. Cole recognised her trust in him when she showed him this true face. He also recognised her love for him and the responsibility he had to not destroy it and her. How did he know? ‘Them’ again he supposed.

Protecting Francesca’s trust was not difficult. Cole had long since concluded that other than Phoebe, hers was the most beautiful face he had knew. Sometimes, however acknowledging the spirituality of how he felt about his whitelighter concerned him because it was vaguely connected to the light of the spirit winds and far too complicated for him to understand.

“You are looking grim” Francesca commented conversationally as she sat down on the sand beside him.

“Perplexed, confused,” he replied with a smile which she saw by surreptitiously glancing sideways.

“By the call of justice?” she asked carefully, leaning forward, her hands grasped around her knees. Francesca stared at the sea. “I thought justice was something you understood.”

“Perplexed by justice? No more than usual” Cole explained. “Managed the Kelpies. Mandy tells me about the correct way to control equines. Gentle, calm, consistent she says. Never lose you temper. She’s right.”

Francesca smiled wryly. Observing Cole’s small family life, gave her considerable enjoyment and a little envy because she had her memories, but they were far back in her history. She also had some sadness because in the not-too-distant future, his small family life would be, like hers, only a memory.

“Truthfully,” he continued uncomfortably. “Its…the calling thing. Again.”

“Again?” Francesca murmured dryly giving him a little of her school-marm expression because it was not the first time that they had this conversation. From her long years as a guide to ex-demon Guardians, she knew it would not be the last.

“I know. I know. Don’t tell me I need faith.” Cole muttered a touch irritably. “I cannot take much on faith. I used to be a demon. I saw how faith can be manipulated.” He stood up and looked down on Francesca. “I almost touched them again” he admitted. “In the winds. And I am not imagining it” Cole turned toward the sea, then back to face Francesca “Who are ‘they’?” he demanded.

Francesca hesitated before answering carefully. “You are a creature of great power and domain, and you are called to use that…domain over those who have much less power. I would not tell you to trust the legitimacy of that power to faith alone. I would be concerned if you did take it on faith alone but I cannot tell you, who commands you” she took a deep and careful breath, while he pursed his lips. “Because discovering those you call ‘them’ is as so many aspects of your calling, something you need to discover for yourself.” She held her hand up before he could interrupt. “I am not refusing to answer, I cannot tell you because I would call them something different to you, because I am not an ex- demon.”

Cole struggled not to glare at her.

“Sit down” Francesca ordered Cole gently.

She gave him the wisdom that she had. She admitted she too felt the wider call, the expansion of the universe, the world of magic. She explained frankly she believed her calling as Great One of the realms they knew was only a minute part of the universe, but she also had no doubts of her calling. She never acknowledged a greater arbitrator, but she rather shyly confessed that there were things, even beings of a sort she had glimpsed occasionally, touched even but she could not explain ‘them’ because she could not name ‘them’...to him. She deliberated a few seconds then continued “But I recognise ‘them’, and I find comfort when I see ‘them’. You need to find your own words for ‘them’,” she told Cole.

Francesca told Cole all she could about her encounters with the Light and her certainty that the universe was both buffeted and balanced by the spirit winds. She admitted that it seemed sometimes that the Balance of Magic wobbled quite dramatically. However, it also seemed that somehow creatures who could restore the equilibrium arose. The basis of their calling was not a complete mystery to her but while she still had a connection to her mortality, she had no the words to explain it…to him.

Cole frowned.

“It’s a big universe” Francesca told him. “You have seen the closer realms. You understand the closer realms. You have no doubts of your role. What concerns you is not your role but how it connects to the Greater Realms, and beyond.”

“So” muttered Cole “You are telling me to keep my nose out of Greater Magic’s business?”

“No” Francesca answered severely. “I am telling you the opposite. I believe you will need that knowledge more and more as you walk a true path. You must feel sure in your faith, so I would advise you to seek what you need to justify it.” She smiled at Cole. “I can tell you that you are not the first Guardian to have this…concern. I can tell you that when the time was appropriate, all have had a…certain recognition that...eased their qualms. I can also tell you that as the recognition becomes indisputable, the time for their crossing-over approaches. The Guardian Hilma served for only two hundred and fifty years, a short time, and for her whole sojourn she was compelled to seek the Light, and when she finally understood it, she left us.”

“So, I am not delusional,” Cole grinned a little uncomfortably. “There is something ...someone, ‘them’ who don’t give orders but ask me to choose…persistently, because I don’t take orders. Do I?” he asked a touch suspiciously.

“Except from Arturo” smiled Francesca. The Guardian Arturo could never quite resist the temptation to give Cole instructions, to his resentment. “Cole, I cannot tell you what I know because the truth I know is my truth. You and I, we have come from different places. At this moment, our paths run parallel. I know my truth; I have faith in my truth but it’s my truth. I’m not certain it’s yours or even anyone else’s.”

Cole nodded. After a few minutes almost companionable silence, he soke. “Phoebe gives this lecture” he told Francesca. “She calls it the science lecture and it’s about the philosophy of understanding. She gives it when the science students get what she calls hooty-toity about the objectivity of science and claim only science is provable, universal…and humanities is at best just interpretation.”

“When Phoebe embraces something, even academia she does is whole heartedly” Francesca mused.

“I know” Cole replied, the smile he saved for his beloved on his face. “There are very few completely objective facts, she says. In fact, that which is certain is only certain in very specific cases. She uses the water boiling thing. So, the boiling temperature of water generally quoted by most people is the temperature at sea level, so mostly its not what people quote, not universally true.”

“Ah Phoebe,” sighed Francesca appreciatively.

“Phoebe also talks about positive truth, the truth of artistes and philosophers and even religion and politics which may only be true for one person, from their prospective but it is still true and therefore valid, at least for that person, as any scientific truth.” Cole continued.

“Which really shows that Phoebe has wisdom” Francesca murmured. “But don’t tell her, I said that.”

Cole laughed. “She also says the only problem with positive truth is when it is confused with objective truth and vice versa” he smiled.

“Which really shows that Phoebe has wisdom” Francesca nodded. “When she chooses.”

“I rather love her when she chooses not to have it, particularly when it embarrasses the kids” Cole admitted because he used to be a demon. They were silent again for some minutes.

Finally, Francesca broke the silence. “Like all good philosophical discussions, a good place to end, not with agreement but with some validation and something more to consider.”

For some time, Francesca and Cole sat silently staring at the ocean until he finally stood up. “I have to go” he told her.

Francesca nodded.

“I need to referee another battle between Melinda and Piper” he explained.

“I’m sure Piper will handle it with her usual calm response” Francesca answered smiling a touch tartly.

“So am I” grinned Cole “That’s why I have to go.”

“What is it?” Francesca asked, always amused by the Halliwell family squabbles.

“Melinda wants to make the plight of captive creatures public by freeing lions and antelopes held captive at the zoo for the amusement of mere mortals. Piper believes this is foolishness.” Cole laughed.

Francesca’s eyes danced “I am sure you can make them see reason” she told him “Just like the Kelpies.”

“It only works short term” Cole commented ruefully. “Like the Kelpies.”

“I have faith in you.” Francesca reassured him.

He started to shimmer then stopped. “Phoebe, Paige and Charlie want to check on evil at the university. I’ve spent the whole weekend avoiding talking about it. Phoebe is not pleased with me.”

“Its witches’ business.” Francesca reminded carefully “Not the Power of Three going?” she asked carefully.

He shook his head “No.”

“Then I have faith in their power as witches” Francesca told him.

“I have faith today is going to be a bitch” he muttered. “I have faith that the immediate future will be a bitch.”

“Don’t interfere” Francesca warned him.

“No” he assured her. “They are making that point very clear. I’ll warn the girls about the Power of Three and to be careful. Whether that warning comes from what Proctor told me last week or from general concern of a loving husband the words are the same.”

“Bloody lawyer” Francesca smiled appreciatively.

“Didn’t you once tell me that if the advice is good, it is good advice regardless of the source of the advice,” he asked wryly.

“Bloody lawyer” she repeated. “Good luck with the antelopes.” He acknowledged her with a half touch from his hand on hers before shimmering.

Francesca sat back down on the sand, staring out to sea, and contemplating the mysteries of Greater Magic.