Shape of Things to come

Shape of Things to Come

Part 3:Seeds of Time

Chapter 24

‘All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts'
...William Shakespeare. As You Like It

When Cole located Leo with the Guardian Durand and told the whitelighter he was urgently needed at home, unlike Leo he could not escape from the Guardian’s affinity for vodka or from a most specific and crude lecture about the rights and wrongs of interfering with witches’ business. When he finally left Durand, Cole was in just the mood to go to Ngigo Canyon. There he found the remains of the four lost souls killed by demons at the university, just to cause the witches problems with the law. Cole supposed the unpleasant deed of blasting the remains to oblivion to be a form of justice as it protected the witches from legal consequences not of their making. He also checked the square at the university where the battle took place, and it was awash with legal types searching for evidence. Cole watched them gather and catalogue demon athames and potion bottles but he was able to deal with a few biological hazards before they got to them…to ensure magic was not exposed. That he also protected his family was just an extra benefit.

Even after doing what was necessary, Cole was still reluctant to return home. He was certain that Phoebe had recognised his stalling about the fate of Power of Three. He was also certain Phoebe would not be less wrathful if he gave her the excuse that vague voices in the spirit winds suggested interfering with the Balance, would lead to any false gains for Good being nullified.

Cole knew that logically no warning of the risk to Power of Three would have stopped the Charmed Ones fighting to protect their girls. But he had been married long enough to know that logic and reason was not going to overcome what he conceded to himself would be Phoebe’s justified sense of betrayal because her husband had listened to his Guardian voices and not interfered with fate. So instead of returning home, Cole took the route of least resistance, and shimmered to Proctor’s hidden mountain home.

As Cole shimmered into Proctor’s ‘watching’ room in the Guardian’s Himalayan monastery home, the ex-watcher demon Guardian was sitting by the large open fire, half-sprawled in his big chair, a glass of port in his hand, intently watching his flashing screens which to Cole seemed to be changing at a manic pace. Proctor, a satanic expression on his demonic face, did not take his eyes away from his screens but acknowledged Cole’s presence by murmuring “Greetings Brother. To what do I owe the pleasure,” in his driest, most demonic voice.

Cole swallowed a little awkwardly, then finally murmured that he came to learn about the events of the last hours.

Proctor grunted and continued to watch his screens. “Events of the last hours,” he mused then in a dry voice recited his list. “Demonic deeds, some more Evil than others. Changes to the order of magic. Mortal lives lost. Magic beings passed on. Demons recycled. Some magic beings answering calls for good deeds. Some rejecting them. Games of Power in Good and Evil. Some winning, some losing.” Proctor finally glanced at his brother Guardian. “You now know what I know” he told Cole.

“Now my brother understands my calling” murmured Proctor with a purely satanic smile. “A pleasant place, Ngigo Canyon?” he asked indicating Cole’s blood-spatted appearance.

“There is justice in not allowing innocent witches to be caught in the contortions of Evil. To indite them in legal consequences that could expose magic” Cole told Proctor a touch defensively.

“I do not disagree but I fear you will be busy for some time to come, if this is the calling you follow” Proctor commented, once again watching his screens carefully. “Evil is not original” he murmured. “But I take some relief in knowing this time, the call to interfere with demonic… legal practices has come so early in the Source’s reign.”

“What do you mean?” Cole demanded, standing in front of the roaring fire, and staring intently down at Proctor.

Proctor never took his eyes from the screens. “Witch trials went on far too long, in my view during the last Source’s reign” he said. “And while the Guardian Hilma performed many acts of clemency that… interfered with Evil plans, she could not protect all… I observed at the time.”

“Evil must win some, because it balances” Cole nodded almost bitterly which caused Proctor to smile his most malignant smile. “I really came to ask about Francesca” Cole finally admitted. “She did not answer my call.”

“And not to avoid a discussion with your wife that will not, I promise you, be pleasant.” Proctor almost sneered. “Tell your wife that which must happen, must be allowed to happen. Better for all if it is not delayed by useless contrivances to avoid it.”

“Wise words said by someone who does not have a wife” Cole answered with a ghost of a smile.

Proctor looked away from his screens. “Francesca was prevented from answering your call, more like” he replied finally.

“At this moment” Proctor explained his voice taking a satanic note, “Francesca is entrapped in the nearer ‘up there’ realms. This does not please her.” His smile was purely demonic as if he was enjoying Francesca’s frustration.

The Guardian watcher smiled, his expression just less than Evil. “Because this day some magic beings were called... removed… recycled…sent to wider realms as their fate would have it, unattached to the earthen ones. Many were of the whitelighter ilk, or orbing creatures at any rate. Taken out by darklighters. There is consternation in the realms attached to earth, considerable fear. I observe.”

“Among others” Proctor informed Cole. “And those who proport to lead the orbing creatures which govern, and sometimes protect, certain magical creatures of the earthen realms have chosen to close the routes to their hideaways, to protect those whom they feel must be protected. Including themselves.”

Proctor all but laughed. “She just happened to be in the vicinity and through the politeness of not using higher magic to … over rule these creatures, she is, to her considerable annoyance I observe, locked in these spaces with them” he glanced at his screens. “Soon enough her irritation will win over her courtesy but for the present she is… safe so reassure yourself. Thus, I applaud the less noble, the selfish motives of these creatures of Good in locking their spheres down.”

“You will watch that she is safe?” Cole asked, almost demanded. “I know parts of her future are written but … it is my observation she can answer what she perceives is her duty without considering consequences.” His voice tailed off.

“This I too have observed “murmured Proctor. “Francesca is watched and therefore well-protected” spoke the watcher Guardian, the ex-demon who loved her. He added before Cole could comment. “As you say. There are things written of the future. If that which is written occurs because …a Guardian chooses to take actions which shake the Balance between Good and Evil,” he took a deep breath “I can exist with the consequences” he announced drily.

“I understand” Cole responded. He hesitated before saying “I too can exist with these consequences. But as I was just told by Durand” and Proctor openly laughed at Cole’s expression “It is right that some unhappy actions happen so what is written also happens. I will protect my family but for me, it is to know when they need my protection and when it is better I refrain from ... interfering. That much I have learnt. I do not have the Power to alter that which is written about the Power of Three in the earthen realms.” He admitted.

Proctor nodded satanically. “Then you have learnt well.” He hesitated then spoke still watching his screens “When you chose to live mortal, amongst those whose fate it is to … undertake actions that make the changes that are written, you also need to refrain from interfering with those who are not your …nearest family.”

“This I know” Cole sighed. “Refraining from interfering is …difficult.”

“Yet you are not a wiseman” Cole commented drily. Proctor did not answer. “Why the darklighters?” Cole finally asked.

“From what I observe” Proctor informed him. “Tempus has no taste for dealing with ancient ritualistic sects and wants them replaced with… more manageable creatures, so he donates the darklighters and their minions to those who will care little for their legend.” Before Cole could speak, he continued “Good has learnt mostly to deal with these sects and their rituals and…. individuality in the last years of the previous Source’s reign and the first years of this one. I observed. So, they are of no use to Tempus or his plans. But by attacking Good in numbers, the creatures can still cause damage, even though many of them are lost in each attack. There is a balanced result I observed” he sneered. “Some numbers of Good are lost and numerous of the demon sects are taken out.”

Proctor turned away to watch his screens. After a few seconds he murmured sardonically, “If the Guardian Belthezor truly wishes to protect witches, and perhaps take up the mantle of the Guardian Hilma in her time, and not just protect those in his family from the injustices inflicted on them through following the righteousness of their calling, best he visits India… then Oxford” Proctor drawled “Immediately.”