Shape of Things to come

Shape of Things to Come

Part 2:Times they are changing

Chapter 22

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 )

Leslie Simpson returned to Cole’s law office, a little tired and far from satisfied at the outcomes of her efforts in court. Cole had told her it was rare to get complete justice, which this morning had proved but she felt a distinct annoyance at him, common in the Halliwell family, for being right. Leslie had been assisting a young witch who, nothing to do with being a witch, had been raped by a local football hero at a dance. Usually such cases, basically sitting watching other lawyers working, did not pay much and many law firms did not touch them. Fortunately, Cole never cared about such things, and his reaction when asked permission to take it on was why are you bothering me.

The football player had been convicted, mostly because the witch held her nerve during a brutal examination by the man’s lawyers, in no small part because of Leslie’s calm support and advice. However, because the footballer was well-known, the sentence had been light jail time and Leslie knew to his dying day the man would believe himself innocent because he was incapable of understanding the notion of consent. The defence had argued that the witch had worn a sexy dress, that she had been drinking, and she had danced and flirted with the footballer, which he was convinced was consent. The only part the prosecution had disagreed was that she consented.

The reality was that the witch did flirt when the famous man requested a dance but when she smelt the alcohol on him and then he groped her on the dance floor, Leslie’s client ditched him, then snuck outside to catch her breath but he followed her, raped her, and then beat her. The irony was that if he had not beaten her, he would not have been convicted. Justice was served as the footballer went to jail, and he would suffer for his sins, but he would never understand why he was suffering, convinced she had been asking for it.

She had not turned her phone on after the case, needing a few minutes in herself. However, the troubles of her day were not over. On arriving at the office, Clarissa, with a concerned expression told her that her sister Fern had been calling and wanted her home immediately. Knowing the state that Fern had been in yesterday after Mary’s death, Leslie sucked her breath and without another word left the office. She had spent a hard night with her sister, as she and Paige tried to calm her down. The best they had achieved was to stop Fern immediately summoning shaker demons, and destroying them, an agreement Fern then wanted to break at dawn because she located several spells that other witches used to eliminate shaker demons. All that was needed was three strong witches. Finally, Charlie refused to help, and Fern could not fight both her sisters and Paige, so she reluctantly agreed to wait.

Leslie arrived at ‘next door’ less than fifteen minutes later, to discover both her sisters and their whitelighter Caleb in the living room, surrounded by magic potions and sheathes of manuscripts containing spells. Her sister Charlie nodded to Leslie with great concern on her face, but Fern, almost without looking up demanded “Where have you been?” then returned to mixing potions without waiting for an answer.

Fern’s expression Leslie noted was fully manic, her dark eyes were almost black, and her face was alight with excitement. Fern was raptly listening to Caleb who seemed to be offering her advice about spells and potions, himself possessed of a calm intensity.

“What are you doing?” Leslie demanded. Fern ignored her, until she asked a third time.

“I went to the archaeology administration at the university today” she informed Leslie who bit her lips to hide her concern. “No problem.” Fern added defiantly. “I was careful. Wore a hoodie. No phone. Cameras won’t recognise me.”

“In a court that would be called evidence of intent” lawyer Leslie told Fern.

Fern shook her head in exasperation while Caleb nodded his ‘I am whitelighter in charge’ expression in place. In a high but controlled voice he slowly told Leslie “This is witch business not lawyer business.”

“Okay you got me” Leslie realising her sister would not to be reasonable. “What is the witch business?”

“The place was wall-to-wall evil.” Fern triumphantly stated, her dark eyes glinting with anger.

“I’m telling you that place is full of bloody demons” Fern almost yelled “The … so called people who kicked Mary out. They’re bloody demons. Most of them. And the mortals are just as guilty, they let the demons bully them into believing Mary was doing something wrong.”

Leslie took a deep breath tried to answer but Caleb interrupted. “I have spoken to the Elders” he announced not keeping the excitement out of his voice “It is their opinion that no other innocent should be persecuted as this Mary has been persecuted. The Elders believe that protecting innocents from such action is righteous, in the best interest of magic.”

“So, you’re going to wipe out the demons in the archaeology department?” Leslie asked, waving her hand to indicate the potions.

“We cleared out the HR department” Charlie reminded them, her voice soft and concerned.

“So, one department at a time” Leslie asked, her hands on her hips. “Don’t you think the FBI might get concerned if university administrators keep getting wiped out one department at a time?” she added drily.

Caleb’s expression became prissy “The Elders believe that targeting demons who hurt Mary, not just the grunts, will allow you to summon this demon who controls them and vanquish him.” Caleb’s expression became severe. “The Elders have accessed the demon Book of Deeds to ascertain the powers of this Briareos, no it is not for witches to understand how” he put his hand up to stop Leslie speaking “and they have concluded he is not yet invulnerable. With their great knowledge of magic,” he indicated the papers and potions, “the Elders have provided the means for you … sister witches” and he waved his hand grandly at all three girls “to do this.”

“I want to get them. I need to get them” Fern almost spat. “Leslie, we have the means here. Caleb” and the whitelighter bowed “showed us how to be a kind of Power of Three.”

“Okay” Leslie nodded, as it struck her that arguing with Fern was just going to make her act alone. “Just so I’m clear. These are demons, or lost souls.”

“I have a real problem with going up against mortals” Charlie whispered “Lost souls or not. I have a problem going up against evil in mortal form.”

“Both probably” snapped Fern dismissively “but last time it was the demons that finished the lost souls so not a problem.”

“How?” Leslie asked very carefully. “We’re not the Charmed ones. You do remember that our powers won’t fry upper-level demons. We can only just take the grunts.”

“We have a containment spell” Fern claimed excitedly “And Caleb has been researching the old power callings. There is one for our coven. Its not Power of Three like the Charmed Ones exactly but it does make three of us strong enough to take grunts, middle level, and not-as-high in the hierarchy as this Briareos thinks he is, type demons. I’m doing this Leslie” she snarled, her voice shrill “With or without you.”

“That is the only reason I’m considering it” Leslie answered slowly, sitting on the only comfortable chair, to avoid trying to slap some sense into her sister.

“Some German witches came up with a spell to knock out technology, we’ll make it so the mortals can’t pick up magic.” Fern explained and Leslie her doubts showing in her face nodded.

“And Caleb found some potions and a containment spell for upper-level demons. Look we can be … we can do this.” Fern insisted “We called the demon before that we did not think we could do … together.

Leslie looked severely at Caleb “Can you give us some time to talk about this … alone?” she asked.

Caleb glared. “We … you need to do this while the grunts are all together. I believe this is an effective use of magic” he said even more grandly, “the Elders also”. And he orbed in a bright flash of light.

Leslie stood up, checking the empty space where his orbs were, before turning around to face her sister.

“The Elders and Caleb believe it’s a good idea” Fern insisted, showing her anger and pain at Leslie’s reluctance.

“Well, I’ve been around when the Elders and Caleb thought something was a good idea before” Leslie told Fern as calmly as she could. “It wasn’t.”

“Oh, big sister went to war and protected Charlie and me from evil” Fern sneered sarcastically “I’m sick of hearing it.”

“How about hearing we’re not the Charmed Ones, with a great calling?” Leslie asked carefully.

“Caleb thinks we might have one, he says the Elders think so. He thinks maybe, it’s our time.” Fern asserted. “We called that demon when the Charmed ones couldn’t” Fern argued belligerently.

“Paige helped us” maintained Charlie and Fern spat her annoyance “I don’t want to be Power of Three” Charlie swallowed hard. “Its … not … it’s a big responsibility.”

“I will not let anything murder someone else, like they did to Mary” Fern yelled angrily ‘

“Even if we get the ones who did it to her, its not going to solve the problem” Leslie argued. “They went after the two professors in England, they will go after others, like Mary.”

“It’s a start and if we get that bloody demon then the others are cut off” Fern pushed “I’m going to do it. Are you guys coming?” she demanded “I’m going” she insisted.

“Caleb will come. He’s going to orb us” Fern told her “I’m going. Mary was enough. We can stop it “she pushed. We can make that demon pay. Punish it. We need to punish the mortals who bullied Mary.”

“Revenge and punishment isn’t enough” Leslie told Fern bitterly, thinking of her day in court. “The mortals will just dig in and believe Mary did something wrong like the demons told them. So they don’t have to feel guilty.”

Charlie made her decision “I can’t NOT protect my sister” she announced, with a slight shake in her voice.

Leslie breathed deeply. Since her mother died, all she had done was protect her sisters. She could not stop now.

Paige arrived home from work, a little early, tired, and slightly overwhelmed from the evil she was now recognised at the employment centre. She stood in the living room, gulping in horror as she saw the evidence of potions and spells that the girls left behind, knowing what it meant. She immediately orbed into the manor kitchen where Piper and Phoebe were sharing a quiet coffee while the kids did their homework and Leo was off with Durand. She almost crashed into Mark as he orbed in too. She smiled at him, but her expression froze when she saw the seriousness of his.

“A problem” Mark answered softly. “I was told, by way of courtesy you understand, in case you were needed, that the Elders have approved a plan for the Simpson witches to set up that bloody demon Briareos. Fern is apparently in a bit of a rage about her supervisor’s death and with a few spells and such and trying a version of Power of Three. Elders think it’s a good idea.”

Paige took a tight painful breath then met her sisters’ eyes while they stared at Mark.

“Elders think they can get a new Power of Three. Using the rage, like with us. When Prue died.” Piper finally spoke.

“Charmed Ones out of control.” sighed Phoebe “New guys aren’t. Yes, it’s a premonition” she told her sisters before they asked.

“I’m going after them” Paige informed her sisters. “Where?” she asked Mark.

Piper glanced at her daughter sitting at the dining room table, actually diligently working at her homework. “Yes” she agreed reluctantly. “The kids” she said. “Wait until Cole gets home.”

“I can… babysit.” Melinda interrupted from the dining room, clearly eavesdropping “and cook supper. Uncle Cole stinks as a cook” she added.

Piper started to open her mouth when Mark interrupted. “Atta girl” he told her then turned away ignoring the glare sent in his direction by Melinda’s mother.

“Attic” Paige explained then orbed. She came back, carrying several athames and a large vial of all-purpose demon vanquish. “I’m going” Paige insisted becoming very impatient, as Piper fussed about supper, to Melinda’s annoyance, then she orbed not waiting for her sisters.

“I better make sure the kids do their homework.” Melinda told them as they dematerialised.

Just on twilight Paige orbed to where Mark had told her. She had a few seconds of relief that the girls were alive, before fear overtook her at the savagery of the fight she was witnessing. The confrontation was in a small out-of-the-way garden square that once belonged to the University President’s suite. However, he had moved to a grander building, so the garden with its large hedges alongside paths that sectioned it into diamond shapes was isolated and contained. The only entrances were a large ornate gateway directly opposite the door to the old building and another closed gateway to one side. A good safe spot to have a demon battle.

The three Simpson witches had clearly been successful eliminating numerous grunts because the area was covered in demon goo, as were the young witches. All three were working half-blind because they had removed their glasses to maximise their fire power which they were using very effectively. Apparently, they had also summoned more higher-level demons, because there were now about twenty peculiar brown robed creatures with bright orange eyes, and some demons with reddish-brown eyes, wearing ugly saffron robes, all in mortal form, all with the bewildered ‘what the hell am I doing here’ expression of demons who had been summoned. Whilst there was demon goo all over the square and bushes indicated a chaotic fight, the three young witches had now moved close together near the middle of the square, obviously trying to catch hands to chant a spell. Charlie was slightly hanging back, probably at the mortal appearance of the demons.

Unlike the HR fight these demons were not fighting each other, they were almost in a horseshoe shape surrounding the girls, who were putting up a good show. As Paige watched Charlie, banishing her concerns at fighting mortal types, and Leslie used their power of fire to take out some demons while Fern was effectively using potions to break the lines. Caleb stood to one side as whitelighters should, but bounced around calling orders, which annoyed Paige considerably because he knew nothing about face-to-face combat. The scene did not have the chaos, fanatic combat and unreal quality of flying weapons and demon goo that had marked the scene in HR.

In the centre of the square was a glowing circle of light which Paige noted was a containment spell. As Paige orbed in the demons recognising her power perhaps, backed away, and the three young sister witches were able to take hands and chant a summoning spell. Caleb, instead of watching, moved into the battlefield, his expression triumphant.

After three or four repeats by the young witches, the chant seemed to work and smallish bald demon, with a large stomach and wearing an expression that was perhaps benign, perhaps openly mocking, materialised in the containment spell wearing a dark shimmering robe, something like papal vestments. The situation seemed under control which as the Paige well-knew was usually the time when battles with demons went wrong.

From within the containment spell the benign demon made a mocking gesture of fear, by covering its face with its arms, then lowering them, its expression now satisfied and mocking. It stood there arms akimbo, whilst holding hands the three sister witches chanted a demon destructor spell. It nearly worked to the young witch’s relief because for an instant the spirit winds swirled around the demon, then they faded, completely disappearing just as Mark orbed in with Phoebe and Piper.

As the demon Briareos mockingly rematerialised and the Charmed Ones arrived, thirteen demon mercenaries, Razors and Shakers and two Darklighters fully armed with arrows, appeared behind the young witches. Between the demons in the horseshoe and the sister witches, four surprised and angry mortals materialised. The mortals spun around in terror and Piper called no as the young sisters moved to protect them. At a word from the rotund demon Briareos, his narrow eyes gleaming with delight at the carnage, the four mortals were dispatched by the demons in the horseshoe who used demon athames in the back while the mercenaries surged on the Charmed Ones and the sister Simpson witches. As the mortals fell, the mercenaries raged, turning the battle into chaos. Mark knowing his role stood to one side while Caleb from the centre of the action called instruction, until Piper up to her ankles in demon goo roared at him to shut up.

The witches fought well. The Charmed Ones had long known how to deal with mercenaries like Shakers and Razors, and even Darklighters. Caleb had done his research and the Simpson witches were well-armed, with potions and chants. Paige orbed two athames to Charlie and Leslie and Charlie for the first time had to despatch a demon with an athame and Leslie unhesitatingly took up the battle, knifing two Razors.

Piper made a beeline to freeze the demon Briareos, but it shimmered out of her way, cackling with delight at the power and she cursed it then blew up several of the robed demons causing a few of the mercenaries to target her. Phoebe was quite a distance, but Paige out flanked them and protected her sister, an easy assured move until the two darklighters fired arrows with the careful precision of their kind. Paige sent an orb shaft which reversed one arrow and it despatched the darklighter, but the other one’s arrow came straight at her. Mark yelled at her to orb but it was coming to fast. Caleb having flung himself into the battle in his excitement ran toward her and somehow put himself between the arrow and Paige. It hit him squarely in the chest and he exploded in a great burst of orbs that lit up the whole square. Charlie and Piper turned on the darklighter and it too exploded in dark orbs which blanketed out the white ones from Caleb.

The demon Briareos appeared again cackling in delight, elevating himself above the whole scene, barking orders at his minions, most of which they ignored. Phoebe levitated to strike hard at the robed demons taking four out with an athame, while the three Simpson witches using fire from their eyes and Piper and Paige sending rafts of explosion and orbs, disposed of six more razors. As the whole scene became a cloud of goo and fire, the three Charmed Ones moved close together, and the demons who remained in the horseshoe under abuse from the demon master surrounded the charmed witches and began a vile chant. Piper blew up two and Leslie fired one while Fern threw a potion. Then the demons suddenly stopped chanting and those left all tossed smoky saffron and orange potions that smelt like sulphur. All the witches found themselves surrounded and blinded by smoke as the demons stopped chanting and began to dematerialise, while Briareos hovered above watching and cackling.

Piper tried to explode one departing demon, but her power disappeared, causing her to become nauseous and all she could do was watch a very supercilious master demon shimmer away and then all his minions followed. Phoebe fell to the ground, shaking, hugging her arms around her trying to control herself and her powers, as Paige was left kneeling, breathing deep and painfully lying in by demon goo.

The three Simpson witches found themselves spread out across the square a little surprised to be alive. Charlie was sitting on the ground, covered in goo and Leslie found herself thrown backward caught up in one of the hedges. She leant forward and had to grab at the bushes so as not to fall with a badly sprained ankle.

“Got what they wanted” Piper managed to keep any anger from her voice, in relief the girls were alive.

Phoebe pulled herself to hands and knees. “And you were doing well enough to make staying not worth it.”

“Us” Piper answered. She slowly stood up then aimed her hands at one of the bushes. After a slow fizzle, the one next to it blew up.

Phoebe struggled to her feet and tried to levitate. She awkwardly left the ground and levitated a few feet. “They wanted our powers?” she asked.

Paige pushed herself into kneeling position and sent a very wonky set of orb shafts into the ground. “Still got them” she croaked, her voice hoarse. “Sort of.”

“I’m so sorry” Fern was muttering still between tears and anger and feeling used. “I wanted to…I’m so sorry.”

“Not now “ordered Piper briskly. Still struggling to hold nausea down she took in the scene the bodies and the goo, as Mark came over. She indicated the bodies and the mess. “First off we need to…”

“Yeah I know” interrupted Mark in his calmest and softest voice. “Can you orb?” He asked Paige who had still not moved.

She swallowed hard and finally nodded awkwardly after half shutting her eyes “It feels funny” she coughed, her voice becoming stronger. She staggered to her feet while the three young sister witches watched her uncomfortably.

Paige and Mark went over to the bodies. They were quite far apart and Leslie after a deep breath hobbled to her feet followed by Charlie, and they pulled the two bodies together while Fern sank to the ground muttering “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I was just so angry about Mary.”

“I know” snapped Piper tersely as she and Phoebe got back to their feet and helped pull the other two bodies together.

“There’s a canyon near Ngigo creek in the desert you remember?” Mark told Paige who nodded.

“Welcome to the world of real magic” Piper snarked struggling to keep her annoyance under control.

“Not now” interrupted Phoebe. She pulled all of them toward the edges of the square. and they huddled down between the wall and the hedges.”

Finally, Piper whispered softly “I feel like part of who I am got sucked out.”

“Yeah, me too” muttered Phoebe who then gave into the nausea, throwing up in the bushes. Three people entered the garden their expressions startled at the mess, the burnt edges of the hedges and then they saw the blood. They ran out.

“Bugger it. Security will be here soon” swore Phoebe. Her face was badly burnt from demon goo as was her blouse.

“To late for Mark to fix it now” Piper sighed. “FBI will have fun with the scene.”

“They were trying to get the Charmed Ones onto a fight” murmured Leslie bitterly. “That damned demon was smirking. It was a trap.”

“That was all about setting a trap for you?” Fern whispered horrified “Mary died to set a trap for the Charmed Ones.”

“Probably” Phoebe agreed calmly, “You learn by your mistakes” she told the young witches carefully and touching her very painful face hissed “Where the hell is Mark?” as two more people came into the area. They left hurriedly but the witches could see them reaching for phones.

Fortunately, just as they left, Mark and Paige, looking very pale, arrived, and to Piper’s horror accompanied by a very excited Melinda. “We needed and extra ride” Mark explained “Paige isn’t feeling great.”

“Do you want to clean up?” Phoebe asked. “Cops have been called I think.”

“To late then” Mark sighed “Better to get you out of here” he said calmly extending his hand to Fern, as Charlie and Leslie also held hands with her, while Paige took Phoebe’s hand.

Melinda looking superior, proud, and very concerned smiled nervously at her mother “Want a ride mom?” she asked and held her hand out to a clearly worried Piper.

They all disappeared in a flash of light just as several security guards came into the area.

In war, events of importance are the result of trivial causes.
(William Shakespeare)