Eternal Flame
part 16
"Where is she?"
"She knows," Xavier hissed simply, as he calmly helped himself to an unoccupied chair, sitting his tired form down upon it, professing a rather loud groan.
"Well, that's no reason for us to put things on hold, is it? Because she has no idea what's coming to her."
"You're not mad?"
"Oh, you silly man, you. If I didn't already have The Triad at my disposal, you'd be toast by now." She smiled. "I never hesitate to punish the unworthy."
"In that case, maybe you should think about punishing yourself."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Why hesitate with Cole Turner?"
"That's-"
"It could have been over by now. All of it. I mean, if you actually had the power you speak so highly of. But you know, I guess I was played the most out of anybody. Because if it were really love, you'd have just died for Wosret a long time ago. You wouldn't be standing here, demanding that his spirit rise again to pay you an undeserved homage. You tricked me," he repeated.
"Xavier, you're babbling. You're just upset right now-"
"And the spells just don't cut it anymore, do they? You need more than that."
"How dare you," she whispered. "Question my authority after all I've done for you."
"For me? Who the hell are you fooling? You've made me another one of your damn servants."
"You had a past dispute. I wished for you to rectify it."
"On my life. He wanted to fight me, but surprise, surprise- he's got a heart. Something you never anticipated."
"Silence."
"The Triad will fail. If you really think they're any match for him at this point, you're sadly mistaken."
"True, but we still haven't tried any bountyhunters on him yet, have we? Maybe it's about time he comes face to face with his past all at once."
"Your Grace-"
"Please, Xavier. Spare me. I'm bringing unnecessary reinforcements out of your pathetic display of affection back there. Accept it and move on."
"Then you will fail as well," he concluded quietly. "However, if you want to even make an attempt to play it my way, I suggest you knock the witches off first....then go for the gold. He would be completely defenseless then. Right now, you're still taking on more than you can handle. Why not target him when he's overcome with grief? Because if I were king-"
"And that's exactly what this is about, isn't it?"
"What?"
"Power always makes an already naughty demon overly greedy. You've been tagging along with me, in hope that I'll make you my right hand man, instead of my beloved Wosret. You want to steal his glory after the resurrection." She grinned. "Yes. In fact, that's how I'm starting to see it. It all makes sense. You've desired me since day one, haven't you?"
"You're crazy," he scoffed, his blue lips gnarled with a deep pretense.
"Or just a little too precise?
"If it's any consolation, the witches are more appealing to be around than you," he carefully drawled. "But what can I say? I like them young."
"And hopeless," she pointed out, laughing. "But you don't fool anyone, Xavier. Not anymore."
"And need I remind you that Wosret won't give a shred of his dignity to you?"
"Send in The Triad."
"But Your Grace-"
"Send then....in!" she screamed. "Did I not make myself entirely clear the first time?"
"Well, if you want a war, I guess you've got one," he murmured. "The sad part is, you could have really been someone. I mean...if you weren't such a bitch."
"Oh, Xavier?"
"Look Celia, I'm not about to continue being a mere pawn in your quest for life's chaos. If you want a boy toy, I suggest you continue trying for the one that may actually just kill you."
"And you're still so terribly jealous," she remarked thoughtfully.
"Of a peasant and a ruthless bastard? Please. Spare me the whining, alright?"
"And in the final moments of destruction, she stood poised and ready to go into battle, her head swimming with thoughts of defeating her enemy, wiping the Underworld clean with a single swipe- regaining her lover's trust. She looks about with cautious eyes, her gaze flaring with a deep intensity, as she moves in for the final kill." She nodded. "True love is about to take on a whole new meaning, Xavier. Will you join me, or shall you undoubtably perish in the fall?"
"Your anniversay will be your doom," he uttered, heading away from her.
"As it will yours," she mouthed quietly. "If I do not make it out alive, nor shall you, my sweet confidant."
**********
"So do you really think your dad can still save the world? I mean, after all that's happened already?"
Alexandra Turner glanced at her companion, as she held her gaze perfectly steady, nodding her head in complete agreement to her friend's proposal. "Oh, I know he can. My dad has never let me down."
"So you say," Catrina quietly mulled over. "But...I mean...what if he doesn't? What if we all have to die?"
"That's not thinking positive," she pointed out. "He's a good guy."
"But not forever, right? He just confessed a life long struggle of torment to our teacher. Doesn't that...freak you out just a little bit? To know that Cole was once the villain who was working for that Source guy?"
"Everybody makes mistakes."
"Not that big," Catrina commented, rolling her eyes. "It would be like my mom smacking my dad over the head with a frying pan, then suddenly proclaiming her neverending pile of guilt."
"Why would your mom want to smack your dad?" Alex returned curiously, shooting her a suspicious look.
"Hypothetically speaking," she mused carefully.
"Oh. What's that?"
"Huh?"
"Hypo...thetically?"
"It means that I'm only doing a what if situation. I doubt my mom would ever have the courage to go through with it, and personally, it's all for the better. I've seen enough dysfunctional families on tv to even contemplate mine turning out that way. You know?"
"Yeah...well...whatever," Alex echoed, shrugging, as she pursed her lips rather quietly. "He's a hero. He's my hero. And evil can't take that away."
"We've been through that. But sometimes, you can't really predict the future. Just as your dad couldn't predict he'd fall for your mom the way he did."
"I've never seen him evil before," she whispered.
"So does it scare you?"
Alex stopped suddenly, her eyes falling to the ground, as she lightly fingered a strand of long brown hair. She sighed softly, the objects at her feet becoming faint. "Do you really think he would hurt me?"
"You know him better than I do," Catrina offered.
"And I don't think he would. He fights, and he's very strong. He saved my mom on the Crimson Star. The man on the ship was a monster."
"But he wasn't exactly possessed by the big bad of all time then either."
"Do I have to fight him?" she asked weakly. "I mean, me and my mom....if he goes bad?"
"I don't know. That Nick guy seems to though. He seems to know a lot."
"I don't want to fight him," she uttered, her voice breaking. "I can't."
"But you might have to. You heard Nick."
"And he already knows what I think of Nick," she muttered.
"Alex, I know this is hard."
"No. You don't. You didn't have all the things happen to you that I did."
"Maybe not. But if I could-"
"Catrina, you can't. You don't know my dad like I do..."
"Young lady, do you know that your mom and I have been looking for you everywhere? Ancient Egypt is not the best place to make yourself scarce in," a familiar tone interrupted, as a figure caught their sight in the far corner, a warm smile planted directly across his handsome face, as he calmly made his way over to them. "Where've you guys been?"
"Mr. T," Catrina recited. "What a surprise."
"Yeah, as a matter of fact, I was just thinking the same thing, Catrina. In all honestly, I half expected you have this entire wall decoded by now," he quipped, his accusation filled with a fine dose of sarcasm.
"Oh, I don't do stones."
"Is that right?" he asked, feigning shock.
"Yep. Don't have that kind of knowledge."
"Really?"
"So are we going into battle?"
"Hardly."
"Then when?"
"The only thing you'll be fighting, is the next paper you'll be writing for school."
"Aren't we all-"
"I'm not entirely sure your parents would be that proud of you, if they knew you were fighting a supernatural war without any powers," he reminded her. "Think about that before you decide to open your mouth again, hmm?"
"What's Phoebe going to do?"
"Phoebe is going to make sure the three of you don't get yourselves killed."
"Three?" Alex piped up.
"I can't risk the chance that she might do anything to-"
"But you let me help before, Daddy. Remember? With the Dark lady? I did help, didn't I?"
"You did, Ally."
"Well, then why not now?" she pleaded. "What's so different this time?"
"Everything," he whispered. "They'll be here any second."
"How-"
"I just know. I can feel it more than I did before. They're coming."
"But I can help with fire. That will hold the demons off, so we can get this bad woman. Won't it?"
"No. And that's exactly why I needed to find you two. I'm going to put you in a safe location....just until this is over. You need to be safe. And if that means leaving Celia to me, it's what I have to do. There isn't even a question- you just have to trust me, okay?"
"But Daddy-"
"Ally, I'm not going back on my word. The cost is too high now. I swore to protect you with my life, and there is no way in hell I am not going to hold true to that."
"I can take them," she begged him. "Please."
"And I don't want to die," Catrina spoke up. "I mean, we have our whole lives ahead of us, Alex. Not even magic is going to change that."
"It will if you don't listen to me right now, and do as I say," Cole instructed. "I need you to listen."
"Nick was telling the truth then," she whispered. "Wasn't he?"
"Just because a prophecy is supposed to come to pass, doesn't mean that it always will. It's a strong indication of truth, yes- but you can alter it from happening, just as easily as you can pave way for a new day to begin. That day can be changed, because of you." He paused a moment, looking at her rather painfully, as he offered a slight wince. "This isn't over, until I say it is. And if it's going to be over soon, we won't go down without one hell of a fight."
"But that spirit will-"
"I can handle it."
"Where's Melinda?"
"We haven't been able to get to Prue and Paige yet. She's with them. Chloe's on it right now-"
"No. I'm not. Because they're coming."
"What?"
"Cole, they're already here."
"And this isn't the time for games."
"And I'm not playing any. They're right outside."
"She's right," Phoebe added breathlessly as she approached them, her face coated with a deep filled concern. "She must have known we'd- she had to know, Cole."
"Are you going bad now, Daddy?"
"Nobody's going anything," he told her. "If it's not Celia, rest assured we can take them."
"Do you really think she'd come to you all by herself?" Chloe asked him. "I mean, with all we know about her at this point? It really isn't in the cards."
"And I don't think you've even begun to prepare yourself to fight."
"I can take care of-"
"There's no time. You're staying with them."
"I am not!" she shot back defiantely. "You wanted me to proove myself to you, and here I am. I'm not going to just abandon this cause like it wasn't meant to be, Cole. We have to watch each other's backs, and I'm going to watch yours. So whether you like it or not, I'm here to stay."
"And that makes two of us," Phoebe added, throwing her a look.
"And I want my daughter safe," he emphasized. "I don't care how you go about it, but just make sure she is."
"Celia's not after Alex, and you and I both know that. She can help us."
"And I just told her it wouldn't be-"
"Cole, we need all we can get. We're two witches short, and she's the closest thing we have right now."
"She's right," Chloe echoed.
"By leaving her here, we're risking Catrina's life too," Cole insisted. "She's a mortal without any magical capabilities. Her chances of surviving this are even slimmer than Ally's."
"And you're not wrong about that-" Phoebe started.
"Phoebe, if you've ever believed anything about me at all...in this entire time we've been together? If you've ever believed in me forn all the times I risked my life to save yours....please believe in me now, when I tell you I do not want her to see me this way. I can't."
"And this isn't your call anymore."
"Dammit, why the hell are you always so stubborn?"
"I know you mean the best for her, but I can't let her do that. You need us, Cole. You need us."
"I'm going out there," he said simply, keeping his eyes averted from her gaze, his hands unclenched at his sides, as he brushed past her, his gorgeous countenance completely exressionless.
"Phoebe-" Chloe began.
"C'mon," she urged, taking her shoulder, as she hurriedly pulled her forward.
"Ah, so you've finally decided to play with us, Belthazor, have you? And to think, we've been apart for so long."
Cole stood frozen in place, his blues scanning the battlefield before him, his line of vision catching the familiar faces as he slowly formed a soft smile upon his lips, his composure failing to falter upon their arrival. He shrugged, gently clasping his hands together in a brief gesture, as he chuckled rather loudly. His feet shifted in position, preparing himself in a casual fighting stance, an energy ball slowly taking shape, it's blue glow illuminating the space around him. "Gentleman, I'm a changed man now."
"So our mentor has informed us," the first man said, his hooded cloak blowing slightly from an invisible breeze.
"Your mentor. Really?"
"We forget very little of our time together," the second one responded. "She wishes you to be alive when we take you."
"And I think you easily do forget that I don't work for you anymore. It's been over five years."
"Our time here has been brief, but it shall increase. We have no doubts of that. She will pick up where the Great One has left off."
"The Great One? What, you mean that poor excuse for a Source that the witches defeated with no trouble at all?"
"She is going to right his wrongs. She will see to it that the world never needs another again."
"Wow," he breathed. "You're....actually serious, arent you?"
"We do not lie, unlike some of the demons we grew to know previously," the first responded cleverly, eyeing up the former half demon with a short half smile.
"And yet you had no idea what was coming, did you?" Cole taunted.
"Nor do you," the third spoke up, just as Cole let the ball of energy fly, his hand going rapidly into motion.