Kapitel 143: Ch.28
Barbas asked. "What is this? I was told I'd be doing this alone."
The last of the tribunal heads for evil spoke up. "Things have changed it seems."
I opened my eyes. "So you admit this was premeditated?"
He answered plainly. "No, but there was always going to be a trial since your wife has been using magic for personal gain to search out demons in an effort to prevent them from attacking later on. While it wouldn't be a problem otherwise, it was in fact for personal and selfish reasons. As was her abuse of her powers before to get ahead at work but that seems to have stopped so we dropped that case."
I nodded. "Continue then."
Paige looked at me and asked. "Aren't you going to stop them? I mean it is your wife."
I sighed. "I must remain neutral in this case, one way or the other or I might as well kill them all and be done with it. I am not evil Paige, nor do I wish to walk that path again. There must be a fair trial or there is no point and it becomes a war between us and good and evil combined. I'm not so foolish or powerful as to assume I'd win that fight or even survive it."
That seemed to cause a collective sigh of relief from the tribunal and Gideon as well. I rolled my eyes. "Just win the case and we can leave. If not then win your own cases one at a time."
I looked to Phoebe and she nodded solemnly knowing it needed to be done this way. I put away my soul swords and Barbas took charge. "Very well. Since you've abstained as the impartial party I'd like to ensure the charmed ones remain honest as well. We very well can't have them doing what they did last time to avoid the Cleaners."
I sighed. "Very well, since you brought it up demon."
I waved a hand and told them as I forced my magic onto the platform and the pocket dimension we were in. "No one may lie while inside this realm from now until the case is over. Not you, them or the tribunal members. Trying to lie or skirt the truth will result in agony the likes of which not even hell can offer. And repeated offenses will pull apart your essence and souls."
They all looked flabbergasted at the news. I laid back in the chair and told them. "Continue!"
I closed my eyes and meditated while Barbas choked before looking at the tribunal heads who looked as bitter as he did. Finally he spoke up. "Since no one can lie in here then we might as well reveal our hands."
He looked to the Cleaner and said. "Is it true that the charmed ones have repeatedly endangered the existence of magic?"
The Cleaner nodded. "We've had to clean up after them and their loved ones repeatedly. The latest event was only one of many they caused as far as I'm aware."
I raised an eyebrow and the Cleaner clarified. "Contrary to popular belief we Cleaners work multiple jobs at once and split up for them unless they are big and difficult to clean up or very important and require delicate changes. I was not in fact the Cleaner in charge of the Inspector's case."
I went back to meditating and Barbas asked. "And where is the Cleaner that was responsible for the inspector's case?"
The Cleaner answered. "Dead or destroyed. The one that's presiding over this case ended his existence."
I snorted. "Irrelevant to the case. Move on as the Cleaner is beyond your power to call forth."
Barbas asked. "But not beyond your power I take it?"
I growled. "No, very little is beyond my power."
I shut up immediately and scowled at Barbas. He seemed pleased by my answer and asked. "Are you effected by your own truth magic's as well?"
I stood up. "Yes, move on now or you'll find my patience run dry."
The demon tribunal member said. "In the case of fairness then, we ask you to bring forth the second Cleaner."
I growled at him and waved a hand. Green flames burned in a circle and the second Cleaner appeared in agony as a spirit. I told them. "He was sent into the reincarnation cycle and since I called him back you've forced me to pull him out causing his soul great agony. Those in the cycle are not meant to be amongst the living until theyve been cleansed if memories, sins and reborn again. Be quick about it as his agony is prolonged the longer he is here now. The cycle doesn't let go of it's claim, not even for me as I am now."
The green fire burned around the Cleaner and he cried in agony. I gave him an indifferent look. Barbas looked both surprised and caught as he'd just screwed himself. He asked the Cleaner. "How many inspectors have the charmed ones exposed magic to?"
The Cleaner in agony said. "Six. The most recent one was inspector Sheridan but then there was Davidson, Cortez, Morris, Trudeau. There was another but he was a demon, inspector Rodriguez."
Barbas nodded. "And how many of them are dead or still know about the magical world?"
The Cleaner answered honestly. "Two are dead, three know and one had their memories of magic erased."
Barbas continued. "Clearly they've not only failed to keep magic a secret but don't mind sharing knowledge of magic with others."
Phoebe said. "Objection. Those inspectors have not only agreed to keep magic a secret but are instrumental in actively keeping it a secret from the public in many cases. As for the two dead, they were both either demons or killed by demons shortly after and not given a chance to tell anyone about it. And I'd like to remind you all that it's this inspector Sheridan's involvement that is in question to whom revealed magic this time."
One of the tribunal members for good asked. "What do you mean by who revealed magic this time? It was you that were exposed on camera!"
She smiled. "I'm not arguing that point, I'm arguing whether she was exposed to magic and demons before hand and led to expose us through the use of a Phantasm!"
She waved her hand using my power to summon inspector Sheridan to the circle before them out of my inner world I allowed her access to. The circle of truth lit up and showed the phantasm entering her body and taking out Inspector Morris's file from the drawer.
It turned it's head to Barbas. "What now?"
I snorted and waved a hand as I sat up, pulling the phantasm out of the inspector. She fainted and I closed it in a bubble, trapped there as it showed more memories of it and Barbas making deals to set up Morris and the charmed ones.
I crushed it, sending it into the demonic wasteland and destroying it for good. I looked to the demon in question and the tribunal members asked. "What is the meaning of this Barbas?"
He shrugged. "I'm a demon, what do you expect?"
Phoebe continued now. "And did you and the cleaner strike a deal to frame us or were you manipulating the situation and them?"
Barbas shut his mouth and tried desperately to resist until the backlash hit him and he screamed in agony. I told him coldly. "I wouldn't resist if I were you. It only gets far worse the longer you try to evade the question."
He spit it out. "I used the phantasms to strike a deal with the demon tribunal member you destroyed to manipulate the situation in my favor. He assured me he'd influence one of the Cleaners to force the issue."
I looked to the Cleaner on fire and he said. "I was told to make Inspector Morris look guilty of the murder regardless of the outcome. He said the rest would be taken care of and that I wasn't actually breaking my duties as a Cleaner because I was in effect keeping magic a secret and helping it to remain a secret if the charmed ones were stripped of their powers as there would be no need to clean up after them again."
I stood up and my chair vanished. I walked to him as magic crackled and popped around me from my anger. I felt something ancient take me over.
It growled as It walked to the burning Cleaner. "Beings like you make me sick. You take an oath and yet at the first sign of an easy way out you take it regardless of keeping that very same path you swore to."
It reached into the flames and they grew as his screams did. An image of a giant green Phoenix bathed in green flames screeched behind me. It spoke coldly. "I am the flame of eternity. The spark of life, the beginning and end of all things. I am where all souls come from and return to. I AM ETERNITY! And you disgust me beyond all others! You soul shall not be reborn but instead burn within eternity for all of time and beyond!"
His screams grew louder and I smashed his soul into essence and the Phoenix swallowed it. The green fire in my eyes died down to their usual green and the Phoenix vanished. I turned to the others confused as I felt back in control again. "So, what happened to the case?"
Phoebe asked concerned. "You don't remember?"
I frowned. "Remember what?"
The tribunal members looked even more worried as one of the good ones asked. "What are you?"
I shrugged and lied using my soul as cover. "Just an immortal wizard with a bunch of powers I took from demons, Cleaners and other beings. Though I do have a phoenix animagi and I'm a metamorphmagus through the use of some family magic's. I'm also a husband and father as well as a billionaire and adventurer. An ex-magical beasts teacher and one time prisoner of Azkaban, the wizard prison-"
Paige stopped me saying. "I don't think that's what they meant. I'm pretty sure they were asking about the giant flaming bird behind you."
I turned my head and looked around before asking. "Where?"
They all sweat dropped and Leo asked. "How did you summon the Cleaner from the reincarnation cycle?"
I shrugged. "My soul form is that of a phoenix. It has a connection with reincarnation and as such I can pull people out if I tap into that connection. Though I hadn't tried it until a few moments ago. Is that what happened? Did I mess it up?"
Leo answered. "Well, when you tapped into the Phoenix's power you seem to have inadvertently opened yourself up as a conduit for something to reach back through and take over your body. It obliterated the Cleaner's soul and ate it from the looks of it."
I frowned. "Huh. I guess I won't be trying that again. So, what's the verdict? Who did what with the candle stick in the kitchen?"
Phoebe asked. "Are you ok honey?"
I grabbed my head and shook it a bit before saying. "Yeah, just a bit of a headache and my minds a bit foggy."
I turned to Barbas and the rest before saying. "It doesn't seem as if the case is settled yet. Continue, I'm gonna sit down."
I summoned a chair to the side and this time it as a simple straight back chair as I sat and waited. Barbas made his final point of phoebe abusing her powers to get visions for selfish reasons. Phoebe didn't argue that point and I sighed and stood up. "Since you've made your point and none of them have argued against it, I'm left with no other option. Sorry love, but I have to."
She nodded. "Go ahead."
I sighed. "Phoebe Halliwell, I now strip you of all your active powers until such a time as you prove yourself worthy of them again before elders or myself. You may earn them back at any time by showing you are more than capable of having active powers and not abusing them like you have before. Even the power of strength is revoked. It will be returned with the rest when you've proven yourself capable and responsible."
I pulled her active powers out of her and Barbas asked. "What of her ability to swim at supernatural speeds?"
I grunted. "It is a support power and as such not subject to the sentencing."
I turned to Barbas. "As you're responsible for all of the main mess, I revoke your supportive powers including your immortality. You may earn it back by staying out of this court before your natural lifespan ends or you're free to regain your powers in other ways like any other demon."
He went to speak and the demon tribunal head spoke over him. "He accepts his punishment without complaint."
I nodded and ripped the powers out of him the same way I did to Phoebe. The power balls floated before me. I told the remaining Cleaner and the tribunal. "You have not impressed me with your corrupted system. If I'm forced to come back here for a similar matter each of you will bare the consequences regardless of whom is responsible. Until then Barbas's powers will remain with you all as they are contingent on coming before you again. You will uphold my sentencing or we will have words that will not favor your health."
I waved a hand and the three powers floated to the heads separately. I then turned to Gideon and Leo. "As elders you are responsible for taking Phoebe's powers to the upper plane to be stored there until she earns them back. If I decide she's earned them before the elders do then I will take them and return them to her."
Leo nodded and I waved a hand, sending them to Leo and Gideon, making sure Leo handles her empathy and premonitions. Gideon got the strength and levitation. I turned to Barbas. "You are dismissed as you're own side deal with the tribunal stands, however corrupt it is. Piss off."
I waved a hand and sent him to the underworld before walking over to Phoebe and pulling her in my arms. I sighed and removed the honesty spell saying. "This case is over and my magic removed. Goodbye, oh and Cleaner, be sure to free Morris and erase the good inspector Sheridan's memory of all the events when you return her. Erase the tape as well and all evidence to the contrary."
I flamed away to the magic school, taking Leo and the rest with me. When we arrived I told Phoebe. "I am sorry love, I had to or they'd call me as biased and corrupt as they were."
Paige snorted. "Yeah well you should've just told them to screw themselves!"
Phoebe shook her head. "No, he's right Paige. I have been abusing my powers for selfish reasons, no matter how good they were still selfish at heart. That's why I didn't fight against it, I couldn't. At least this way I'll be able to find out how much I relied on my powers."
I hugged her tighter and sighed. "Are you mad at me?"
She shook her head and Paige snorted. "I would be."
I chuckled. "What would you have me do? If I wasn't fair both sides would've come together against me much like they did to seal the hollow. I don't particularly like the idea of being sealed in a box for eternity. Besides, the fallout of that battle would've been cataclysmic. I doubt the human mortals would have faired so well as you and your sisters if we clashed."
"Not to mention Pandora would be their target as soon as I was gone. She's just as powerful as me in theory or at least has the potential to be anyway. Neither side would've suffered her to live if I'd fallen and they have the power to make you all forget altogether."
Phoebe shuddered and Paige sighed. "I guess you're right. I didn't think about that."
I nodded and Gideon asked. "What happened to the powers of the Cleaner and tribunal member you killed?"
I chuckled. "They're locked away somewhere safe as a fail safe in case I'm set upon by both sides anyway. I'll be able to destroy the grand design if I'm to fall as a last middle finger to both sides. Think of it as my trump card that ensures you all don't try to destroy me or trap me like the hollow without thinking about the serious consequences of those actions. I'm not good or evil, I don't care one way or the other about your precious hand design. All I care about is my family and friends. Leave us alone and you'll never hear a peep out of me"
Gideon frowned but nodded before saying. "Leo and I have to go up there for a while. I'm sure you all have your own things you'd like to be doing."
He turned to Leo and they both orbed away. I took Phoebe to see Pandora and Piper, who was there watching the kids with the teacher. After a while we went to check up on Darryl and see how he was doing. We found him enjoying an evening out with his wife and when he looked our way, he raised his glass with a smile and nodded our way.
I smiled and nodded back before having the hostess get us a seat. Three weeks later Paige and Phoebe were hot on a trail of a supposed demon who was taking out the competition with charmed ones potions.
I watched them work and occasionally suggested where they might pop up while I was sensing the demons in the city. The problem was they'd attack all over the world and I wasn't about to try playing Charlie to their Angels. I already knew who and what it was and when it was time, so did they.
When Chris went to jail for grand theft auto, my lawyers were there to bail him out saying he was my little brother, with ID's and paperwork. They paid it all off and squared it away with the judge as well as bought the Porsche he'd supposedly stolen.
By the time he was to be locked up, he was instead being given the keys and title to the car he'd supposedly stolen by my lawyers and being told to drive safe. He'd driven home and given me a hug which I only chuckled to. "I take it I did stuff like that often when you were growing up?"
He nodded. "Yeah, you were the cool uncle until it happened."
I sighed. "Then I'll endeavor to live up to my title. So, maybe you should find the guy you claimed to be chasing?"
He nodded before heading upstairs to the attic for the scrying crystal and the map. Phoebe was already up there making random potions for whatever she could possibly thing of.
When they found Paige with the guy Chris said nearly mowed him down in a Porsche, I popped my head in and sighed. "So it's the sex toy Paige has been summoning for the past three weeks, huh. Must've been the whole personal gain issue."
Paige sneered. "Must've been three personal gain issue. Seriously, if I hear those words one more time I'm gone erg..."
I sighed. "Well you've caused this mess yourself and while you could've easily come to me and asked for help or even to Chris, so you'd at least had personal time for yourself you made a sex toy with magic instead of actually buying a sex toy or finding a lover. Seriously, what's with you and thinking magic owes you anything?"
She snorted. "Magic is the cause of a lot of our problems-"
I interrupted her. "And yet it's you who abuses it that ends up with those problems. If you don't want magic so much then maybe you should try and take a damn break from it instead of diving right in. You clearly want the magic but you don't want the problems it causes. Well guess what, you can't have it both ways. You either live with the magic and it's issues or you go without both. Or like Phoebe and Piper you accept both and minimize the damned issues. Stop bitching and whining like a three year old about it being unfair and grow the hell up!
"The world and magic in general owes you nothing and it never has. This world and every other one in the vast cosmos runs off one principle, survival of the fittest. You were doubly blessed to have both parents as magical beings and yet unlike your sisters you seem to be the only one that can't grasp the concept of following the damned rules put in place by those more powerful than yourself!"
I finished my rant and she said. "What about Phoebe huh? She used magic for personal gain!"
I snorted. "And she fessed up to it and accepted the damn penalty or are you asking for me to strip your powers away too before the damned tribunal is called to take more than that away because you can't stop acting like a fucking child? Will you not be satisfied until I'm forced to fight with those that already want me dead in the worst way and possibly die, leaving you and the rest of our family at their tender fucking mercy's? I'm not afraid of death, don't get me wrong but I also can't stand the fact that my daughter, your niece, will mostly likely die with me!"
She flinched like I'd slapped her and I shook my head. "Do what you will, sacrifice us all until your satisfied with whatever bit of happiness the magic you claim owes you can give you. I truly hope you get whatever it is you're looking for from our deaths."
I turned and left, heading to see my daughter while Chris and Phoebe were saddened and Paige was speechless. I rocked Pandora in my arms and sang the lion king two We are One song to her as it was her favorite.
My senses told me what was going on as I spread them further, locking on to the second sex toy she'd unknowingly summoned. When Paige turned evil because of it and in the end Piper and Phoebe had saved her ass, she came back with them and when she felt up to it, she came to the nursery where I'd finally gotten Pandora to sleep.
I was watching my daughter sleep and didn't look her way when I spoke. "There's a silencing charm around the crib to keep her from waking from outside noises. You can speak freely."
She sighed. "See, that's what I don't get, you can use magic without consequences and I just want that for myself."
I shook my head. "You're wrong. There's always consequences, even for my magic and powers. Although they're different, they are there. The powers I've taken whisper in my ears, tempting me to use them for violence, carnage and murder. It's through the vast will and mental strength I've garnered over the years that I resist the temptations."
I looked up to her finally. "As for the basic magic's and spells. I've come to the conclusion that my family, the wizards and witches of my magical society, are a different species to yours. I've had my blood and that of my father's tested and we have an extra pair of chromosomes compared to you and the normal humans. We evolved to possess magic, we house it inside us and while we can draw from the environment like you all, it's slower."
I sighed and leaned back. "If a wizard like I was before drew on their magic too much they'd exhaust it and kill themselves if they used to big a spell before they were ready. A natural limitation to our powers. There are ways to grow stronger like I did but mostly it's limited to the individual's capabilities and luck. If one such as I kills, even if it is just a demon, it can split the very soul of the wizard or witch, a painful process that is agonizing until healed."
"You see, my kind were prone to turning dark because once they experienced that split they did it repeatedly to make the soul numb to it. Not to mention centuries of inbreeding because our genetics were suppressed if we mingled with mortals. Our very existence was being punished by nature. Never assume because I wield my magic's freely that there isn't a price. Even I, as powerful as I am can be killed if I use to much magic at once. Even now. It is my greatest physical weakness and one I doubt I can fix easily."
She frowned. "I didn't know. Gosh, I'm sorry."
I nodded. "Magic always has a cost, remember that. If you learn nothing else, keep that in mind. For witches like yourself a spell beyond your power would simply fizzle out and not work. But for any witch or wizard like me and my ancestors, it would consume us as the price, killing us if necessary. It has wiped out hundreds of families before in past wars because of that very reason. My people are a dying race and yet we are proud and honorable at times. Sometimes to the point of foolishness I'm learning."
She sighed. "I'm sorry for before. You were right, I was being childish."
I shook my head. "It's not wrong to want freedom and power, but never at the expense of your loved ones or the innocent. That includes yourself and your own morals. And here's another free lesson, power, all power, even mine, comes at a cost. I have to hear the whispers and seduction of my own powers, crying out to be used."
"If I were a mortal or had a weaker resolve, I'd have crumbled under the wait of temptation long ago. It's why I've locked up all the powers I have that I'm not ready for inside the binding stone in my sword or hid them in the back of my mind under mental blocks. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. No one is Immune to it's call indefinitely. That's why I've held off until I'm stronger both mentally and physically to better be prepared to house said powers without falling into temptation and hurting people."
I waved her off. "You never needed to apologize to me Paige, it's our loved ones and yourself I cared about you putting in danger."
She sighed and walked towards the crib and stuck her head inside the barrier. "I'm that case I'm sorry little Dora, auntie Paige is sorry."
Pandora woke up with a cry and I stood with a huff. "You're putting her back to sleep."
Paige chuckled and rolled her eyes. "It's fine, I'll see to the little princess."
I sighed and left saying. "You should apologize to Phoebe next. You hurt her the most by doing what you did. I could feel it even then. Her greatest fear is loosing Dora and I and you made those fears a very real possibility with your stunt. It only drove the issue home when you acted so blasé about it."
She nodded and I went to grab a drink while Paige rocked Pandora to sleep. When I was in the kitchen Alpha and one I recognized as Gamma appeared. They blocked all those that could be spying on us and Alpha spoke. "Why have you not been sharing your newly obtained powers with the collective?"
I rolled my eyes and took out my soul swords before fusing them and showing them. "They're all in here. I'm not yet prepared mentally or physically yet to take them into myself so there's nothing to share. As it is my own power is sufficient to have helped a great many of our causes or are you not drawing on them like I feel at all times?"
He sighed. "Then are you willing to share them now with the collective?"
I chuckled. "Not a chance. I trust you've your goals firmly in mind and I can feel the collective is in agreement, as am I, but the powers I obtain and share will be from my own body as it's source, nothing more or less. I trust you each with our goals but I'm not dumb. I'd not give my powers so freely even if you served my every whim up on a platter. The collective can wait until my body and mind can assimilate the power or it can add more to its numbers. I won't be giving my powers away but I can share them once I've assimilated them."
Gamma frowned. "You'd have us wait when we can begin now if you'd share?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Am I to assume you're declaring yourself my superior?"
Alpha waved Gamma off saying. "No, there's no such thing as superiors in the collective."
I nodded. "Then you'll have to wait or help me strengthen my physical and mental energies."
Alpha sighed. "What is it you need from us?"
I shrugged. "I have a solution and even the ability to pull it off but I need to draw from the collective once and very briefly for the magical power itself to pull it off. I intend to make a time room where time inside moves one million times slower inside compared to outside while the gravity inside can be adjusted to near that of the center of a blue super giant star's core."
Gamma snorted. "That's not possible!"
I snorted. "Nothing is impossible. Like I said, I know how and I have the ability to make the foundation but the spells required take more magic than I have in me so I'll need to draw from the collective's supply."
Alpha frowned but asked. "And how will this help?"
I shrugged. "I'm six months time outside I will have assimilated half the powers I've stored in the binding stone and that will be more than enough to return what I've taken from the collective. At the very least I should have a lot more powers for the collective to draw from, including that which I took from the Cleaner and tribunal member I killed."
Gamma seemed more calm now and Alpha agreed. "If it is as you say then we will be more then happy to agree."
I nodded. "Good. I shall prepare the room myself and place wards to keep all but me out. I must warn you, while I'm inside you won't be able to contact me except to draw powers and magic."
Alpha accepted that as well and they disappeared as Chris came in. "So, it turns out my name is Chris Greengrass now."
I rolled my eyes. "Bite me kid. It's a good name and the only way I could officially get you out of there without magic or being arrested myself."
He chuckled. "So, Paige says she apologized."
I nodded. "Though it's not me she should be apologizing to."
He nodded. "She's taking it to annoying level now though. I just found her apologizing to mom's stomach."
I chuckled. "Hey, she's your aunt. That just means you might actually end up just like her."
He shook his head. "Nope, I take after my uncle."
I smiled. "So Paige gets married, that's good."
He tossed a loaf of bread at my head and I caught it with a chuckle. "It's good I left an impression at least. You've got to understand though kid, this time it will be majorly different. Odds are you'll be going back to a future you won't recognize. One where your mother and aunt never died, where Phoebe and I never left and where.."
He finished for me. "Where my cousins and brother never died or turned evil, yeah, here's to hoping."
I sighed. "Just be prepared kid. Not all things will change but maybe, just maybe you and Bianca never met in that future and going back will erase your memories of her as the changes assert themselves. Not all change is good after all."
He nodded solemnly. "We both know and understand that but we can't stay in the past forever either."
I smiled weakly. "Then when it's time I'll be sad to see you go. Perhaps this time I'll bless your birth with my own magic and give you a one up on Wyatt. I never blessed him because it didn't feel right but you, if anyone's earned it, it's you."
He chuckled. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"
I rolled my eyes. "Don't think you'll be all powerful or anything kid. It'll just be sheer magic I bless you with. However it forms or manifests will depend on your luck and own chances."
He shrugged. "It's a little better than last time!"
I chuckled. "Alright, off with you. I'm sure you've places to be instead of chatting with me. You haven't taken your fiancé out in a while. Take her and have some fun for once. Relax a bit and use the bank card in the glove box of your car to have a nice time."
He smiled, genuinely happy now. "You're the best uncle."
I nodded and shoo'd him away while I brought Phoebe a sandwich and ate my own. Two weeks later demons started causing a commotion with something called witch wars. I stayed out of it and when Phoebe killed the demons involved, they agreed that was the big threat to Wyatt turning evil.
In the end Bianca and Chris both came to me together asking to be returned to the future but I sent them away saying. "If you're so sure you've completed your mission, then find your own way home. Feel free to ask your mother and aunts for help but I'll not be using time magic again for a long while at least."
In reality I'd made my room using the power of the Avatar collective and had drained myself in the process. I was using all my spare time to recover my magic and strengthen myself and for a time portal like they'd need, well, there's a reason it'll take the power of three or a time potion blessed by all three sister's blood.
I wasn't about to waste the magic I'd recovered or the mental energy needed to tap into the nexus lines safely to make a time portal. Besides that I knew what would come of it needed to come to pass.
Nearly two weeks later things went wonky as the grand design all the elders and tribunal were worried about was flummoxed by one dumb ass elder. Gideon, the elder in question, had taken Wyatt and tried to take Pandora as well but failed when I'd sent him flying as he reached for her shield to orb her as well.
I orbed Pandora to my arms and went to Piper's room. There I found her and gave Pandora to the daycare teacher with her. "Stay in the room but sit in the corner. Gideon is after my daughter and he has Wyatt."
Piper screamed. "What?!!"
I sighed. "Calmed down Piper, everything will be fine. For now you're about to go into labor so you need to relax. I'm here and once Leo, Chris and your sisters get back from the dark world I'll be more than happy to help when my daughter isn't in harms way. Until then I can't leave her with anyone but you and I need to go get your sisters. You've my word that Gideon won't harm Wyatt until I get back. I've ensured it by placing a powerful charm on Wyatt that works like a random orb. If he's in danger it'll orb him away."
She relaxed a bit and I continued. "That coupled with his shield would make him a pain in the ass to kill even by me so relax. Once I'm back with your sisters and the rest of our family, I'll see what I can do about getting Wyatt here to you. For now I need you to watch over Dora and freeze Gideon if he comes in."
She nodded and I left the room via flame travel to Gideon's office. I looked in the mirror coldly and saw my reflection only in all black and scarred up a bit. He asked. "Are you sure about this? It's a big risk just for power."
I snorted. "You know as well as I that we need to do it if we're to ever leave this world in the next thousand years."
He nodded. "So what's next?"
I sighed. "We do the power triplication spell and I fuse with each of us once I go through. Then we find them and speed things along."
He agreed and I waved a hand, opening the path to his reality before reciting the spell. "Take my powers, Blessed be. Multiply their strength by Three."
I repeated the spell until I divided into three of myself. Then we walked through the portal to the other side. There I saw three dark clothed versions of myself as well. I asked him. "Have you any ties to this reality?"
He shook his head. "Phoebe and I had a fling but she cheated on me with a demon. I haven't made any other ties other than to gather the nexus pools and the power of a nature god of death and some dumb titans."
I nodded. "Good, less mess then."
I focused and absorbed each of them inside my body multiplying my original power by five fold and taking the binding stone the last one offered. As we fused on the most basic level my soul essence grew five fold as well and with it my world tree thickened and my inner world grew to the point where the tree didn't look so odd even though it still reached out into space.
My beast sides and shadow devil grew as well in proportion. Unfortunately it didn't multiply my own mind's defenses but in fact supplied the mental energies of equivalent value so I'd have to do that part myself.
Ironically before I'd become above the grand design it had copied me and in doing so ensured I'd have an extra to draw on for power at some time. Now that we'd both ascended past the grand design's ability to influence us, it could no longer predict or be affected by our choices unless we intentionally affected it.
After all I was neutral before and an opposite of neutral is still neutral, like subtracting zero by zero. Reverse it and flip it however you want and you still end up with a neutral version of me although his inclinations leaned more towards the death aspect of the nature balance and thus still my opposite.
I was however happy to see my second binding stone had as many and as much powers as my own. Add to that my own considerable powers I'd just reinforced with what he and I'd gained by five and damned if I didn't feel powerful.
It was almost intoxicating, especially the feel of my physical strength reaching old levels of just before I'd entered the stars to train in the stargate universe. Only time, training and luck would see me physically growing stronger from here on out.
Now what I needed was to find the sisters and stop Gideon in this world. Finding them was easy enough as I'd have been able to sense them before in the underworld even from here. Now I was able to simply orb them to me from there with a thought.
I'd orbed both pairs of phoebe and Paige's along with Leo and Wyatt to me. They each looked to me in shock. The evil Phoebe asked. "Who are you? You aren't my Damien."
I glanced at her coldly. "Your Damien no longer exists. We fused ourselves and he became nothing but energy to strengthen me further. He said you cheated on him so he had nothing left in this reality for him so he willingly made the sacrifice."
My Paige asked. "Won't that throw off the balance further?"
I shook my head. "We were beyond the grand design even before we decided to fuse so it has no effect or bearing on the grand design. It will adjust in both worlds naturally to accommodate any medalling I do. After all the grand design encompasses both realities as one creation. Outside forces can manipulate it as we please within certain limits. That's how it was designed to be in the first place."
Leo frowned but didn't comment but instead asked. "Where's Wyatt? Gideon has him!"
I waved a hand and the room spun as we ended up in the attic as Gideon fled when Wyatt stabbed him with his own knife before us. The evil Wyatt cried and I flamed him into my arms. Evil Paige said. "Aren't you good?"
I rolled my eyes. "Hardly. I'm neutral, always have been and always will be. Good and evil are just outdated concepts to me."
I the crying Wyatt sensed I wasn't a threat and calmed down. I wiped away his tears saying. "You're a brave little warrior aren't you? Perhaps one day we'll meet again and I'll teach you the dance of death. Then you'll be a warrior without equal."
He played with my soul patch and I chuckled. "It's time for me to go so you need to be brave and if the foolish elder tries anything again remember, a wound may be painful, but death is permanent."
Evil Phoebe smiled. "Damn, I almost wish you were my Damien."
My phoebe rolled her eyes. "Oh please, he's mine so back off. We're married after all."
I chuckled and passed Wyatt to evil Phoebe before taking out a gold brick. With a thought it morphed into a crown and I set it atop his head. "There, even the future ruler of evil deserves a crown."
I waved a hand and opened a portal as the room shifted and we were back at magic school. I walked through the portal back to the good magic school and the good ones followed.
Soon enough they realized the imbalance in the grand design and I told them. "You did to much good while we were there. Working with evil to save their Wyatt. Only an act of great evil here will balance it back out and I can't be the one to do it or the grand design will simply crumble. Limitations are a pain in the ass, I know."
I went to find Pandora and Piper but Piper had been taken to a human hospital and Pandora was with the daycare teacher still. I took my daughter and orbed to the hospital telling them to sort out Wyatt and the rest.
When I arrived at the hospital I found Piper acting weirdly so I put her to sleep. I set Pandora down and held a hand over her stomach, shifting and healing the damages to prevent any complications.
I then drew a clawed nail over my palm and dropped a bit of blood on her gown as I hummed and blessed Chris with my magic. I felt it forming a magical core in the baby inside Piper's stomach. After that convalesced, I saw his knew power was self healing to Deadpool like degrees.
Smiling, I knew he'd be fine now as I grabbed Pandora and flame traveled to the house and watched over Pandora while they handled everything. When Gideon and Barbas made their moves, I sensed Chris her stabbed. Unfortunately his wound was magically kept open so even with his healing factor it merely prolonged his agony.
The cops had stormed the place looking for Chris, only to find him dying or appearing to die anyway. When Leo returned, I helped Chris along a bit as he seemed to pass away to them but in reality I'd summoned him to Pandora's room to heal him.
I destroyed the magic inside his wound after a bit and when it was time, I left him there and went to the underworld. I found Leo just as Gideon died and he destroyed the mirror showing the dark reality.
Sighing I told him. "Chris is alive although it'll take time for him to recover. I summoned him to Pandora's room when I headed the police leave as not to expose magic and healed him as best I'm able. The rest is up to his own abilities. When he's healed send him and Bianca back to the future."
Leo sighed. "It doesn't change anything. Gideon still needed to die."
I nodded. "I'd have done it myself but the moment I turned my back he'd tried taking Dora. Besides, a great evil had to be committed and killing him fit the bill. If you hadn't done so I'd have had someone else do it."
Leo only replied with one word. "Barbas."
I sighed. "Wait until Wyatt's safe and calmed down at least before you go chasing off after demons."
He seemed to accept that and went with me to pick up Wyatt out of the cage Gideon had trapped him in. We left the underworld and headed to the hospital where Chris had successfully been born and the world had been returned to the balance.
I told them while Leo held Chris with a smile. "I saw him doing so much for the future and decided to bless him with my own magic. He is magically as powerful as Wyatt was when he was born but more than that, he has the potential to become as powerful as me."
They were clearly shocked by my words. Leo asked. "Blessed how?"
I smiled. "A drop of my blood and the powers I possess to raise ones own talent. It wasn't particularly hard and it wasn't dangerous at all. The only factor was the kinds of extra powers he'd develop."
Phoebe told me. "Uh honey, you might want to just come out and say it."
I chuckled. "So impatient. Alright. He developed a healing factor that will allow him to survive and regenerate from nearly any wound and a magical core like my people."
Paige spoke up. "Didn't you say your people have some very serious downsides to using magic? He could die now from magical exhaustion couldn't he?"
I shook my head. "No, because he's not one of my people. In the end he's half whitelighter and half your type of witch. He's bound to your rules, not mine. That means it'll act like a constantly growing ball of extra magic inside him until he's able to use magic consequence free. Now that is one of the major flaws in the grand design, I merely took advantage of it."
I took Wyatt from Phoebe and Leo said. "Thanks."
I shrugged. "He earned it. When he turns elven I'll make a doorway in the manor so you can send him to Hogwarts. I'll pull some strings to get it approved over there as well but he should have a fun seven years there. Don't worry, he'll be back for the summers and I'll personally teach him control and many of my other little tricks to prepare him. He'll get to make friends with magical beings of all kinds there unless another war breaks out and my people are ended sometime soon."
I held Wyatt up and sighed. "I kind feel bad for not blessing you as well. I'm sorry. I may not be able to do it now but I can promise that if you grow up good I'll give your first born kid a blessing. Besides, you already have Excalibur, your shield and a lot of other powers. You my little warrior are one blessed baby aren't you?"
He giggled happily and they smiled as it was his first laugh or smile since the incident. I told Wyatt. "Hey buddy, do you trust me?"
He giggled more and I said. "Then open your arms and fly!"
He waved his little arms and floated out of my hands before flying around the room and landing back in my arms. Paige asked. "What are you doing?"
I sighed. "Giving him a good impression of this time in his development. He might not remember words or solid memories, but all babies I've seen grow up remember a sense of good or bad from their childhood. He went through some bad so I'm going to make it suppressed by the good."
Leo asked. "Aren't you worried about exposure?"
I shook my head. "I'd be able to sense if someone is coming and besides, I can make him invisible to mortals as well. So Wyatt, would you like play with the animals with Dora?"
He giggled and bobbed his head and I smiled before summoning the playpen, my daughter and the small magical creatures. I cloaked them from non magicals and watched them play. Leo saw the small fire breathing dragons and nearly leaped to Wyatt only to see them do no damage.
I chuckled. "Did you actually think I'd make dangerous toys and put them in the playpen with our kids?"
Leo looked a bit embarrassed and I chuckled. "Relax, you've been out of the parenting business for a while so of course you'd be a bit on edge."
Piper woke up and Leo passed Chris on to her. She looked my way saying. "Thank you. The doctors said there were supposed to be complications before but that they must've righted themselves. I can't help but think you were responsible for that."
I shrugged. "I just healed you a bit and fixed what was wrong before doing a blessing on Chris who was still inside you at the time. I'd have kept you awake for it but you were annoyingly weird from the imbalance in the grand design when I showed up."
She sighed and we all sat down. There weren't enough chairs so Phoebe sat across my lap. Leo asked. "So where's Chris?"
I sighed. "He and Bianca are both back at the house in a stasis spell. It'll protect them from any dangers so don't worry. Once he's finished healing, it'll release them and give them a sense of where to find us."
A few moments later an orb appeared and there was Chris only different. His magic now was as powerful as mine was at his age. Chuckling I told him. "You've definitely changed. I can feel your magical core I blessed you with has grown strong."
Chris smiled. "What else did I get?"
I pulled out a dagger a stabbed him in the hand by flicking it at him. Leo and piper yelled but they were to late. Chris grunted and pulled the dagger out before his hand closed up, good as new.
Chuckling I told him. "You'll heal so long as the wound isn't cursed or the blade used isn't magically enhanced to pierce all things like the last one was. What's more you can regenerate even from a drop of blood if your main body dies. It's not pleasant but it can protect your life."
Chris grinned but looked a bit down. I waved a hand and magically slapped him upside the head. "Don't look so glum boy. My blessings aren't as simple as you might think."
Chris sighed. "Sorry, I just have a bit of an inferiority complex with my brother's powers."
I rolled my eyes. "Then feel inferior no more. You may not be as powerful as he's grown in your future, but I can promise you this, your potential is as great as my own."
He went bug eyed and I chuckled. "What? Did you think with my vast powers I'd leave you with bottom of the barrel scraps? When I said you could regenerate from a drop of blood I meant it. That means you can hide your blood in stasis spells all over the world and no one would be able to kill you, at least not permanently."
My words sunk in and he grinned like a fool as I continued. "As well as your core can grow to infinite proportions like mine can. Or as infinite as you can understand the concept anyway. My own has grown to the point that it burst and fused with my DNA and every molecule of my being. So long as I recharge, I'm an unending magical battery. Once your own core does the same you'll be in an even better position because you can't die if you over use it. Hell, so long as you do like I suggested you can't die unless you want to."
Chris chuckled. "Thanks uncle Damien, you really are the best."
I shrugged. "Don't sweat it kid, you've earned it. Just don't pick on your brother when you grow stronger than him. He's had it tough even before the evil crap and he may have picked on you but that's just how big brothers are. If he's good he'll have defended you as well. Now, here, one last parting gift."
I waved a hand and a box appeared in front of him. He opened it up and I sighed. "It's not much but it's the best I could come up with. The rings will allow Bianca the same blessings as you have when you marry. Once they're out on they can't be taken off so be warned. Not even I could remove them without reversing time itself. It will share all your powers between each other equally and ensure no demonic or evil taint corrupts you through them."
They all gaped like fish and Chris choked up. Bianca took the box saying. "He means thank you, they're beautiful."
I nodded with a smile. "You're welcome. I've ensured that no matter where you return to they'll always keep you together. Now, since there's a church in the hospital, if you're willing-"
Chris looked to Bianca and she nodded before he said. "Hell yeah! I mean, yes, that would be perfect."
Phoebe slid off my lap and with a thought we were all in gowns and dresses. I stood up now and looked to Piper. "You just going to miss your own son's wedding?"
She said. "I can't do anything, the doctor said-"
I raised a hand and healed her up before putting a dress on her. "What the doctor doesn't know won't get him turned into a toad. Now, I repeat, are you going to miss your own son's wedding?"
She slid off the blankets and stood up. "I guess not then."
Smiling I told her. "I've handled the paperwork. Legally Chris was born a month and a half early like Wyatt so they think you're only here for a checkup and you've already seen a doctor."
I picked up Pandora who was in a little pink dress with black trimming and Leo grabbed Wyatt who was in a little tux now.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein