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Shape of Things to Come
Part 2:Times they are changing Chapter 18
Let me speak, sir, |
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Shape of Things to Come
Part 2:Times they are changing Chapter 18
Let me speak, sir, |
After a short wait, when all six witches waited in various states of anxiety or annoyance, the whitelighter Mark dually arrived in a minimum flash of orbs and smiled with affection at Paige.
“At least Cole and I no longer act like gormless idiots” Phoebe whispered to Piper who openly laughed. “You going to report to the Elders?” she demanded of Mark.
“We have an arrangement that I don’t consult on every spell, unless it’s a risk to wider magic ... probably not, but thanks for considering me” Mark answered softly. “How do you intend to convince the demon to talk?” he asked casually.
“The usual way” Paige meeting Mark’s eyes “we’ve most often been successful in the past.”
Mark just nodded.
“Are you going to torture it” asked Charlie her voice concerned “Didn’t think ... I mean good … witches... Will it look mortal…” Her voice trailed off.
“Maybe not torture it” Phoebe explained “but as long as it doesn’t know that.”
“Usually, they’re so terrified they wet themselves” Paige told the young witches. “Charmed reputation helps.”
“Well, the middle and low-level grunts do” Piper corrected her. “Upper-levels fight or bluff it out. So, you must be prepared to vanquish them. Trust me.”
“You shouldn’t have tried to kill Cole” Phoebe told her sister suddenly, her voice becoming shrill. Sisters never forgot some things.
“Oh, for god’s sake let it go,” snarled Piper. “He survived.”
“You tried to kill Cole?” Leslie asked her voice horrified.
“Couldn’t kill him. He had protection” Piper explained “And he was bloody evil.”
“He was not evil, he was hurting,” snapped Phoebe coming to her feet.
“And being an arsehole” insisted Piper “Get over it. The potion didn’t work.”
“You tried to kill Cole” Leslie repeated in disbelief.
Mark rolled his eyes and Paige sighed.
“So you’re not going to actually torture the demon.” Fern finally asked, trying to redirect the conversation.
“Threaten pretty good” sniffed said Phoebe. “How close can you get with the fire power?” she asked the girls.
“Close, you want us to send fire into their faces?” Leslie asked. She hesitated. “You tried to kill Cole?”
Mark just nodded.
“Are you going to torture it” asked Charlie her voice concerned “Didn’t think ... I mean good … witches... Will it look mortal…” Her voice trailed off.
“Maybe not torture it” Phoebe explained “but as long as it doesn’t know that.”
“Usually, they’re so terrified they wet themselves” Paige told the young witches. “Charmed reputation helps.”
“Well, the middle and low-level grunts do” Piper corrected her. “Upper-levels fight or bluff it out. So, you must be prepared to vanquish them. Trust me.”
“You shouldn’t have tried to kill Cole” Phoebe told her sister suddenly, her voice becoming shrill. Sisters never forgot some things.
“Oh, for god’s sake let it go,” snarled Piper. “He survived.”
“You tried to kill Cole?” Leslie asked her voice horrified.
“Couldn’t kill him. He had protection” Piper explained “And he was bloody evil.”
“He was not evil, he was hurting,” snapped Phoebe coming to her feet.
“And being an arsehole” insisted Piper “Get over it. The potion didn’t work.”
“You tried to kill Cole” Leslie repeated in disbelief.
Mark rolled his eyes and Paige sighed.
“So you’re not going to actually torture the demon.” Fern finally asked, trying to redirect the conversation.
“Threaten pretty good” sniffed said Phoebe. “How close can you get with the fire power?” she asked the girls.
“Close, you want us to send fire into their faces?” Leslie asked. She hesitated. “You tried to kill Cole?”
“How does this work?” Fern interrupted getting a little exasperated.
“Summon demon, keep it with a containment spell, scare it witless, watch it cry.” Piper answered.
“Okay” Paige called out still standing in front of the Book of Shadows. “Got a containment spell” She read out from a paper on which she had scribbled
“In this time and in this place,
keep this spirit in this space.”
“Power of Three?” asked Phoebe.
Piper again scryed on the map until the crystal showed ugly dark gray flashing magenta as it hovered over the Himalayan mountains. “A few still around” she said. “Hiding in nooks and crannies.”
“Basic Power of Three” Paige reiterated as Phoebe and Piper joined her in front of the Book of Shadows while the three Simpson girls huddled together on the sofa all very excited, and Mark sat on its the arm.
The three charmed witches held hands and chanted three times.
"We the Power of Tree
keep this spirit in this space.”
the demon purple and gray
Confront us now. Convey.”
All six witches and Mark expectantly watched the air began to spin as the Spirit Winds whirled in the attic like a small tornado and the magic summoned lit the room in blue light. And then fizzled and snuffed out.
“Damn” muttered Phoebe “Even grunts have a lock on us.”
“Not sure that was a grunt.” Piper wondered “The strength of that wind was more full scale demonic.”
“Maybe try it without the Power of Three” Mark suggested “You only want a grunt to come.”
“Okay, okay” muttered Piper who was less than thrilled at suggestions, and flipped the pages of the Book of Shadows until finally she accessed a useful page.
Piper scryed again and located a gray demon hiding in the Rocky Mountains and then chanted.
“Magic Forces, black and white,
Reaching out through space and light.
Be he far or be he near,
Bring purple and grey here.”
“An oldie but a goodie,” Phoebe noted. This time a vague outline of a demon almost appeared in shaky gray light with vaguely purple hue. However, as soon as it came into the aurora of Power of Three the outline began to break apart and the demon fought free and disappeared.
“Damn. That was a full demon” Paige murmured “And it recognised Power of Three. We want a grunt.”
“Maybe the wrong demon. Magenta is more red and purple than purple” suggested Leslie the lawyer pedant. She pulled her phone out. “I bet past witches wish they had this power.” she grinned searching on her phone “Magenta used to be called fuchsia.”
The charmed witches held hands.
"We the Power of Tree
keep this spirit in this space.”
the demon fuschia and gray
Confront us now. Convey.”
There was no response.
Very quickly the Charmed witches dropped hands and Phoebe recited.
“Magic Forces, black and white,
Reaching out through space and light.
Be he far or be he near,
Bring fuschia and grey here.”
This time the materialisation was much stronger and the creature all but appeared in the attic then once again as soon as it touched the aura of Power of Three it managed with a sly cackle to pull out of the spell.
“Bugger” grumbled Piper.
Phoebe turned her nose up and tried scrying again. “Nothing. It got out and is warning others I’ll bet. Have to give it half an hour and see what we can find.”
“Its Power of Three that’s the problem “Mark observed quietly.
“We know that” snapped Piper.
The three Simpson witches glanced at each other. Finally, Leslie stood up “Do you want us to try? Maybe if grunts don’t recognise powerful magic like the Charmed Ones, the protection will be off?”
All the charmed sisters each took a deep breath.
“It’s only a grunt” Leslie insisted, as the sisters stood up beside her.
“A well connected one” Paige replied always protective of her girls, “and well-armed.”
“Charlie took out grunts at the HR” Fern pointed out.
“Okay” finally agreed Paige reluctantly after her sisters opened their mouths to argue.
Piper waved the girls to the Book of Shadows. “Only, if you need to protect yourselves” she asked, “try not to burn the attic to badly.”
“We aim…to please” grinned Fern.
“Umm” interrupted Mark who had for the most part been content to sit behind the magic and watch and then cleared his throat.
“What?” Piper turned to him her hands on her hips.
“Girls need Caleb here” Mark suggested waiting for the roof to come down on his head.
“What the hell?” screamed Piper.
“Bugger off,” cursed Phoebe.
“You got me here” Mark pointed out.
“Only so the Elders could not go screaming at you about Charmed Ones out of control,” Phoebe told him.
“Which we’re regretting,” added Piper.
“Exactly Caleb is their whitelighter. I’m not.” Mark pointed out in his quietest calmest voice. “And while the Elders have given up on the Charmed Ones, the girls are still answerable” he explained mildly. “And the Elders won’t be willing to let three getting-more-powerful witches walk around uncontrolled. And” he added “Probably at this stage shouldn’t.”
“Do you really expect us to listen while you keep using that ohh so calm, I’m not really manipulating you, but I am whitelighter in control voice” demanded Phoebe while Piper smirked, and Paige was just a little proud.
“I don’t know” answered Mark still calm “Are you going to act like reasonable mature adults, instead of teenagers spitting at the teacher?”
“I don’t know,” Piper finally admitted.
Mark sighed but persisted. “The Charmed Ones have a reputation and a connection to greater magic that protects them from consequences with the Elders” Mark continued in his normal voice. “The girls don’t. And believe me after the Charmed experience the Elders won’t be inclined to…um show mercy at being ignored.”
“Caleb will just come in and want to discuss it with the Elders and mutter and give orders about not doing something ... rash,” insisted Phoebe.
“The girls can chose to ignore the Elders but don’t make the choice for them” pushed Mark.
“How about we get to say something?” interrupted Leslie holding hands with her sisters to form a united front.
“Wouldn’t the Elders like to know about this as much as us?” Charlie asked.
“Probably” Mark agreed.
“Anyway, if Caleb starts sermonating, we can ignore advice with the best of them” Fern smirked.
“And if we know what problems the Elders have, forewarned is forearmed” added Leslie “And we most certainly will if Caleb is here.”
Paige protective instincts took over “I know you can ignore with the best of them, which worries me. Consequences.”
“There will be more consequences if we find out something the Elders need to know, and Caleb isn’t here.” Leslie argued.
Paige glanced at her sisters. “Oh, call the bastard” she ordered.
Leslie with a grin called Caleb’s name and after a short wait he appeared in a showy flash of orbs. His face had the expression of someone sucking lemons when he realised the Charmed Ones were present, but he acknowledged them with a forced graciousness. The charmed witches acknowledged him just as graciously.
“We’re here” snickered Charlie slyly as he finally turned toward the Simpson witches.
“What can I do for you?” Caleb asked with more than an edge to his voice and then he turned to Mark before the girls could answer. “What is happening here?” he demanded of Mark. Mark to do him credit waited for the girls to start speaking but Caleb cut them off and turned back to Mark who finally explained to Caleb in his soft patient tone.
“Hmm” exclaimed Caleb who could not keep the satisfaction out of his voice at the Charmed Ones failures. “Elders do need to know such things” he finally conceded. “And if the Charmed Ones are unable to provide that knowledge, best someone else take over. I will talk to the Elders. Be patient” he ordered orbing in a flash of light.
“I know, I know, I know,” Mark answered putting his arms in front of him for protection before six witches could yell at him “But arguing with him would not get us there any faster. He was always going to consult the Elders.”
“Mom told me he used to be a doctor” Leslie explained to all of them “Got used to talking at people, not to them.”
“I bet if he had a female patient, he talked at her husband, not her” Fern grinned but her voice was irritated.
“No bet,” chuckled Mark.
Paige and Leslie went downstairs to make some tea then orbed it upstairs, so she did not spill any. Unfortunately, Melinda on her way to bed saw her do it and positively glowered at her. Leslie brought up cups and some tarts that Piper had made that afternoon.
Phoebe grinned at Mark when he accepted the tea. Mark used to hate it when she first knew him but over the years, of necessity, Mark had visited the Guardian Therold quite frequently with the Charmed Ones. The Guardian’s passion apart from cats, was tea and to his great pleasure he had converted Mark into someone who almost liked it.
All three girls took their glasses off ready for using their power then put a hand each on top of the other.
“Magic Forces, black and white,
Reaching out through space and light.
Be he far or be he near,
Bring fuschia and grey here.”
All three giggled at the word fuchsia.
Nothing happened and Caleb stepped forward to say something but stopped when Mark gently put his hand on the whitelighter’s shoulder.
Paige, as her sisters nodded, moved over to the three girls, and put her hand on top of theirs, then in a blinding flash of very ugly fuchsia light, a demon materialised. Paige removed her hand before it recognised a Charmed One, and the light stopped swirling, revealing a gray robed demonic creature in almost mortal shape but with ugly purple and pink fused face almost just a blob of colour. It went into a panic when Phoebe and Piper recited the containment spell, and it was caught in the centre of the attic.
For quite a few minutes the grunt-demon writhed and contorted, cursing all the witches in vile demonic language which made the Charmed Ones wince because they understood it. However, after the Simpson girls sent a few well-placed fire shafts smoking close to its feet leaving marks on the attic rug, and Paige sent a shaft of orbs close to it, the demon-grunt shrunk into a miserable huddle. When Piper froze and then unfrozen it twice, and Phoebe picked up an athame which she brandished in front of it, the demon-grunt was willing to talk.
As the Charmed Ones knew it would.
Because its masters would show no mercy for betraying them, regardless of the fact it could not escape the summons, the demon-grunt spoke with bravado and made threats about its powers, trying not to betray its masters. However, after a few more close calls with fire power and some orb shafts it writhed fearfully in the containment fields then answered the questions.
At first Caleb tried to direct the questions but when he went to speak, Mark’s hand moved on his shoulder and with great reluctance he kept his mouth shut.
This grunt admitted that it was an Operarios, a name given to the clerks and workers who had the great honour to serve a sect called Renoves.
“What are Renoves?” Piper asked, raising her hands as if to explode it.
“Renoves, Renoves, you don’t know of Renoves” spat the demon-grunt incredulously.
“Clearly never been important enough for the Charmed Ones to bother with” Piper answered blandly.
“Renoves are great demons. Great demons. Great demons.” The terrified grunt boasted “Teachers” it said. “Educators who made knowledge an eon’s work, educators who understood how beings learn.”
p class="MsoBodyText2">“And use it for evil” snorted Phoebe disgusted.
“Of course, it is a great, great, great power” offered the grunt preaching its propaganda. It tried to say no more. However, after Paige threatening and more fire flashed at its feet the demon was coerced, frightened into talking of its masters’ role.
The grunt was not privy to all the machinations of upper-level demon politics, but collapsing in a shivering heap, it told the witches that it had been a mortal educator in England during World War Two and had sold its soul to the Renove, expecting to gain great power after the war was lost in return for preaching the goals of fascism. Instead, its soul was claimed by the Renoves and since then it had been working in non-descript jobs in universities around the world.
“Who’d be evil?” Phoebe mouthed to Piper.
The demon-grunt tried to stop talking but when Phoebe brandished her athame, it explained that recently its masters had infiltrated it into the San Francisco University where to its horror, the Lasicas were firmly entrenched, working for the hated Brotherhood of the Thorn whose aim was not knowledge but control of those who had it, it whispered scornfully. Yes, it agreed its masters had been intent on getting rid of the Brotherhood, in taking over their claims and territory. Naturally, it said because the pursuit of knowledge was the highest form of evil.
“Why could your masters take out the Brotherhood?” Phoebe asked seething at the twisting of all she believed into Evil.
“Because they are weak, obviously,” the demon-grunt told them scornful at such ignorance in supposed powerful witches “Fallen so far, they have allied with the damned Charmed Ones, to the dishonour of all demons. Allied with the Charmed Ones and used their treachery to wipe out brethren...”
Then it realised where it was, and its fuchsia colour nearly turned black with fear, then it fell to the floor, writhing agonised while Caleb gasped and the three charmed witches exchanged glances.
Yes, it was an alliance between the two sects, the demon-grunt confirmed scornfully. Then regretfully added it was an alliance that exposed Evil to stealth, fire, and treachery. The Renoves intended to wipe Lasicas heresy from the records of Evil. The grunt also claimed the Renove Operarios and the Brotherhood Lasicas fought everywhere not only in San Francisco.
No threats, no fire or orb shaft weapons could convince it that the Renove had lost the battles. According to the demon-grunt, their strategic retreat was just more proof of their greatness, as they adhered to Tempus’ orders to keep Evil away from the Charmed Ones, unlike the stupid Brotherhood, who allied with the witches to destroy all Evil and Tempus.
“If only it were so” whispered Piper to Phoebe.
The charmed witches glanced at Caleb, but he was too aghast at the depth of the wars to appear concerned about false accusations about witches.
After some persuasion to keep talking, the demon-grunt said it had heard the masters made the alliance through a powerful new demon and was finally coerced into saying the name Briareos. It whispered the battles between Lasicas and the Renove Operarios had allowed the new demon Briareos to take over much of the power and resources of the Renoves, and the demon-grunt now worked for Briareos. It was half angry at being removed from Renove control and half in awe and proud of Briareos great evil. Briareos had as a mortal been a great evil soul the demons had heard.
Briareos recognised the power of knowledge the demon-grunt told them. A great demon. An honour to serve. Then it shrivelled into a heap and begged the witches to make sure that no demon found out it had spoken with the Charmed Ones.
“I am not a Brotherhood lackey.” it announced with some pride.
Then it told them that Briareos had no fear of witches and not even archangels or ogres the demon-grunt whispered. Briareos was a demon who knew how to be evil, to use evil and had no difficulty taking evil from less powerful demons like the Brotherhood. Briareos would wipe out anything in his path. The demon-grunt shrivelled on the floor again before half-kneeling to boast Briareos had no fear of retribution. Briareos would create war, he would destroy witches and purged anything in his way. It was a great evil.
“Way to what?” Piper asked.
“Knowledge” said the demon-grunt importantly.
“Of what?” Piper asked curiously.
“Everything” hissed the demon-grunt.
Of course, Briareos had no fear of magic being exposed in these battles, the demon-grunt boasted. To be known to know was the Power of Knowledge. Only those who were ignorant feared to be known, lest their ignorance be exposed.
“Propaganda” muttered Paige to Phoebe.
“Also true” whispered Phoebe sadly.
The demon-grunt knew little about where Briareos came from, only observed the greatness and power of its evil.
There was nothing else they could frighten out of it. With a flick of their hands the Charmed Ones let go the containment spell and then mumbled a quick demon begone spell which worked on the demon, as half smirking and half doubled over in fear it dematerialised from the attic.
“You didn’t kill it” Charlie commented in relief.
“We did kind of” Paige answered truthfully. “Its masters will blast it.”
“That’s what it’s like to be a lost soul” Charlie sighed “Makes you want to stay Good. That’s worse than having the Elders preach at you.” Then swallowed as Caleb gave her a pompous glare.
“That’s so twisted about education” groaned Fern “Education is good.”
“That is evil” Caleb preached grandly “Twisting everything good. That” he explained “is why witches are only given the knowledge they need.”
“Because knowing more would make them to powerful” Phoebe drawled. Then she hesitated, bit her lip, and spoke as calmly as she could. “The Charmed Ones are not in league with the Brotherhood of the Thorn.”
“I hardly need to be told that” Caleb replied smugly “If you were in league with demons, you would not have asked for a whitelighter of such integrity as Mark” he bowed “or myself to be present.”
Mark to his credit, kept his face almost expressionless but there was an almost angelic smirk around his mouth.”
“You understand how bad this is” Caleb announced “A demon of huge power and cunning, is commencing war against Good, over the most precious of powers. Knowledge. Something that must be protected and held firm against all who would use it for evil.”
“It’s more like he’s starting a war against other demons,” Phoebe pointed out. “And using the excuse of battling Good to get away with it.”
“So perhaps not that bad. Not complete magic-chaos bad” Mark told Caleb firmly.
“You heard that creature describe the powers of knowledge and the dangers of it falling into the wrong hands. I must talk to the Elders” Caleb insisted urgently “I must discuss this. Are you coming?” he demanded.
“In a minute” Mark told him softly.
Caleb sucked his breath then orbed out in a huge show of orb power.
“So” Fern shook her head in disbelief. “Did I just hear Caleb saying controlling and withholding knowledge is good. Kinda of like the demons want to do.”
“I thought I heard that” Leslie agreed. “How come Caleb thinks that is good?”
“Ignorance” sighed Phoebe.
“Premonition?” asked Mark.
“Yes” Phoebe nodded.
“Not good” Mark agreed. He winced. “To no-one’s surprise, I’m being called by the Elders” he told the witches.
“You better go and explain to them about hearing what you want to hear and ignorance” Paige told him.
Mark smiled then orbed.
“You did well.” Paige told her girls.
“You know” mused Fern. “When you experience a… slightly… higher level magic and then see a bloody whitelighter…”
“Being ignorant,” interrupted Phoebe.
Fern nodded. “You kinda lose respect for them. For being ignorant and not knowing it.”
“I know” agreed Piper.
“Mark wasn’t ignorant” Charlie commented.
“I guess that’s the balance” Piper answered. “Its late” she decided. “Maybe call it a night. It’s been along few days.”
The girls nodded and gathered cups and plates to take downstairs while the charmed witches, tidied up the magic and Piper frowned at the burn marks on the rug.
“You tried to do that … to interrogate Cole” Leslie asked before leaving the attic.
“Didn’t work,” retorted Piper. “Broke out and didn’t kill us. He wasn’t evil just an arsehole, like now.”
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