"Lessons in Witchcraft VI"

[mcharmed21]

Author: Rina Keaton

TITLE: LESSONS IN WITCHCRAFT VI
AUTHOR: RFK
SERIES: CHA
CODE: All
RATING: [PG]
SUMMARY: The Charmed Ones discovers the limitations of their knowledge on witchcraft. Set after "The Staff of Fire" - AU between S5 and S6. Sixth in series.
FEEDBACK: [e-mail] - Be my guest. But please, be kind.
DISCLAIMER: The Charmed Ones, Leo Wyatt, and Cole Turner belong to Constance Burge, Brad Kern and Spelling Productions. The McNeills, thankfully, are my creations.


NOTE: In the previous story, "Lessons in Witchcraft V", Olivia instructed the Halliwells on meditation methods and color magic. The story picks with Olivia trying to recruit Cole to help her with the lessons.


"LESSONS IN WITCHCRAFT VI-A" by RFK


Cole sat inside his penthouse living room, two days later while he listened to Olivia reveal a proposition to him. The moment she finished, Cole promptly replied, "No."

"What?" Olivia pouted. "Why not? You know more about this subject than any of us."

"The answer is still no."

Olivia resorted to another tactic. She begged. "C'mon Cole! Please?" She gave him the full blast of her green eyes. "I really need your help on this one."

Cole merely gave her a cool stare and said, "Too bad."

"Cole!" An idea came to Olivia. "If this is about Phoebe . . ."

The half-demon contemptuously rolled his eyes. "Trust me, it's not."

"Then why . . .?"

He sighed. "Piper. She can be a real pain in the ass. I don't exactly look forward to spending an afternoon . . ."

"Morning and afternoon," Olivia corrected.

Cole stared at her. "In that case, the answer is definitely no."

Surprised by Cole's stubborn refusal to help her, Olivia desperately added, "Look, I know that Piper can be difficult. Who isn't? I certainly am. Besides, since when did you have so much trouble with her? I mean, I know that she's not particularly fond of me . . ."

"Trust me," Cole growled. "Her feelings for you are practically benign, in compare to how she feels about me. The only times she had ever really treated me as a member of the family, was after Prue's death, when they needed the extra fire power and when I had lost my powers and was deemed safe. Hell, she and Leo had once tried to vanquish me with that damn potion, when Phoebe was a banshee. And all I had to do was show up and be annoying."

Olivia gave Cole a shrewd look. "My, we are bitter, aren't we?"

Cole's eyes penetrated hers. "Comments like that won't get you anywhere."

"You mean you've changed your mind?"

"No. I'm just pointing out a certain fact of life."

It took all of Olivia's will power not to throw the nearest object at her very stubborn boyfriend in a fit of anger. Anger, she finally realized after her temper had cooled down, would not serve her purpose. Instead, she tried one last tactic - surrender.

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Olivia stared at Cole, wearing a downtrodden expression. She sighed. "Okay, I give up. You don't . . . I guess I can understand why you don't want to help me with this next lesson." Another listless sigh left her mouth. "I guess I'll have to endure Doubting Piper, again." She paused dramatically. "Alone."

Exasperation mingled with self-disgust in Cole's blue eyes. "Oh God! All right! I'll . . . I'll help. @#%$! I'm really not looking forward to next Saturday." He gave Olivia a dark look, worthy of his reputation. "You know, someone will have to compensate me for this."

Olivia pressed her body against Cole's, and slid a hand underneath his shirt. Giving him her most sultry look, she murmured, "Well, we can start by heading for your bedroom."

"Forget it." The half-demon coolly removed Olivia's hand. "You'd enjoy it, too much. I'm talking about something that will make you suffer . . . just as I will, next Saturday."

Apprehension gripped Olivia. She eyed Cole warily. "Like what?"

Cole hesitated. "Well . . . Harold Carter's weekly Friday night dinner is coming up. And I've been given a command to attend." He paused stared directly at Olivia. "Guess who will be joining me?"

Olivia's eyes widened with horror. She recalled the last time she had attended one of Carter's dinner parties. It had been an exercise in boredom - at least for her. The quality of the food had not helped. "Why can't you ask your old buddy, Veronica?" she immediately asked.

"Because Veronica hasn't asked me to spend half of Saturday, giving lessons on magical being to my dreaded ex-sister-in-law," Cole shot back. He continued to stare at her. "Well?"

A long suffering sigh escaped from Olivia's mouth. Until this moment, she had not realized what a lowlife bastard Cole could be. "All right," she grumbled. "It's a deal." Cole merely smiled coolly and said nothing. @#%$!

* * * *

Heavy gray clouds hovered in the skies above San Francisco on the following Saturday morning. The doorbell rang and Paige raced to the front door to answer it. She greeted Olivia with a cheerful smile. "Hey Olivia! Back for more les . . .?" Her eyes grew wide at the second figure standing behind the red-haired witch. "Cole? Hey!"

Cole smiled warmly at the Charmed One. "Morning Paige. How are . . .?"

"What in the hell is HE doing here?" The outburst came from Piper, who had appeared behind the younger sister.

Paige stepped aside and allowed the two visitors to enter the house. Olivia glanced at the oldest Halliwell, who regarded Cole with hostility. "And how are you, Piper? Ready for more lessons?"

But Piper refused to be distracted. She continued to rant over the unexpected guest. "What is Cole doing here? I don't recall you saying that he would be joining you. Nor did I invite him."

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Olivia shot Cole an uneasy glance before she replied "I brought Cole here, because I thought it would be best for him to assist me, today. Considering the topic I plan to discuss."

Phoebe appeared in the foyer. "Is that Olivia? I guess the lessons are about to . . ." She stopped short, at the sight of her ex-husband. "Cole! What are . . . what are you doing here?"

The half-demon rolled his eyes. "Ask Olivia," he replied brusquely. "She was the one who dragged me over here."

Olivia deliberately stepped on the edge of Cole's right foot, warning him to behave. "He's here to help me with today's lesson," she said. "We're basically going to discuss a few magical beings - including demons. On which, by the way, he's an expert." She smiled at the sisters. "So, shall we begin?"

Both Piper and Phoebe exchanged uneasy glances, but said nothing further. Soon, everyone was seated either on the sofa, or in various chairs in the living room. Olivia began, "Does anyone have a question, first?" Piper opened her mouth. "Other than why Cole is here?"

Shooting the redhead a dark look, Piper hesitated before she glanced at Cole and asked, "Okay, here's a question. Why do all demons seem to be naturally evil?"

"Who said they were?" Olivia shot back, garnering a surprised look from the oldest Halliwell. "But before we go any further into that subject, let's talk about something else."

Piper demanded, "Why?"

A heavy pause followed, as tension filled the room. From the corner of her eye, Paige saw Olivia regard Piper with hard, cold eyes. Cole seemed amused by the entire confrontation. "Because I'm giving this lesson." Olivia added in a deadly whisper, "Piper, if you have a problem with Cole being her, both he and I will both leave and today's lesson will end - right now." She paused. "Do you have a problem?"

Paige held her breath, as she and the others waited for Piper's next move. Her body sagged with relief, when Piper murmured, "No. I don't."

"Okay," Olivia continued with forced cheerfulness. "Let's move on. We'll start with fairies."

Phoebe said, "Oh, we know all about them. Piper, Prue and I had met one of them, a few years ago. They're . . ."

Cole burst into a loud chuckle, catching everyone else by surprise. "What's so funny?" Olivia demanded.

Shaking his head, the half-demon replied between laughter, "Oh, uh it's nothing. I just . . . When Phoebe brought up meeting a fairy, I . . . uh, I found myself remembering how she and Prue were uh . . . affected by the fairy dust." More chuckles followed. Aware of the others staring at him, Cole's laughter finally died down. "Sorry." His mouth twitched slightly.

"As I was saying," Phoebe continued, glaring at her ex-husband, "Fairies are basically these little magical beings with wings and magic dust. Only children can see them." A small burst of laughter from Cole followed. In a tight voice, Phoebe finished, "And they reside in the in-between places."

Barely keeping his laughter suppressed, Cole added, "You mean the veil between the worlds."

"Huh?"

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Cole continued, "That term you used - 'in-between places' - is used by children." He snickered briefly. "The correct phrase is 'the veil between the worlds'."

Olivia added, "Also Phoebe, you don't have to be a child or act like a child to . . ." Another snicker escaped from Cole's mouth. Olivia glared at him. "Cole, honey," she said sweetly, "get it under control."

"Sorry," he murmured.

The redhead continued, "Like I was saying, you don't have to be a child to see fairies. There are plenty of adults who have seen them. In fact, didn't you guys have to save a little girl and a fairy from some trolls, without using a spell or fairy dust?"

"Actually, we used a spell," Phoebe replied.

"Oh. Too bad, considering that anyone can see a fairy. As long as you believe in them." Olivia paused. "It's just that children are more likely to believe in fairies - especially pixies, unlike the average adult."

Realization struck Paige. "Oh! Like Tinkerbell in PETER PAN."

Olivia nodded. "Something like that. Besides, I believe you guys had another encounter with fairies."

The three sisters frowned and exchanged confused looks. Paige shook her head. "I don't think so. I haven't seen a fairy."

"Actually, you have Paige," Olivia calmly replied. "Remember the leprechaun or leprechauns you had to save from that demon, last spring?"

"Leprechauns are fairies?" Disbelief rang in Phoebe's voice.

Smiling, Olivia said, "Yep. And so are elves."

"What about nymphs?" Piper asked.

Cole spoke up. "Goddesses. Minor nature goddesses that live in rivers, mountains and trees. I've encountered one or two. Very beautiful. They're usually pursued by satyrs."

"And what are satyrs?" Paige asked.

"They're also nature gods. Only . . ."

Phoebe interrupted. "You mean, they're not evil?"

The half-demon frowned at his ex-wife. "Why would you think that?"

"Have you seen the way they look?" Phoebe continued. "They almost look demonic."

A sigh left Cole's mouth, while Olivia answered, "Trust me, Phoebe, satyrs are not evil. They're simply randy creatures that like to party and chase after nymphs and other females, to indulge in their lust. They have this tendency to look rather . . . uh, corrupt. Or degenerate. Like over-aged rock stars, only they're shaped like half-men/half-goats."

"Hmmm, be still my heart," Paige murmured sarcastically. Then she asked, "What about dwarves? Are they also fairies? Like elves?"

Cole replied, "Mortals. Dwarves are any kind of life form - animal or plant - that was stunted in growth. So, those seven dwarves in SNOW WHITE? Mortals, like the rest of you."

Olivia let out a gust of breath. "Well, shall we move on to another subject? Vampires."

"Ugh!" Paige exclaimed with displeasure. She still recalled her brief stint as a vampire, over a year ago. "Do we have to talk about them? Especially since Cole had managed to destroy them all, when he was the Source?"

"Hmmm." Olivia fell silent, as she glanced around. "Are you sure about that?"

Apprehension gripped Paige's stomach. "You mean to say that more vampires still exist? I thought that when Cole . . . uh, the Source had killed the Queen of the Vampires . . ."

Olivia's green eyes widened with confusion. "Huh?"

"Alaria," Cole grumbled. "The self-styled Queen of the Vampires. Actually Paige, she was only one of many heads of powerful vampire orders. There are others that still exist. The only reason that you didn't permanently remain a vampire is that Alaria and her minions, the ones that sired you, were killed before you got a chance to feed from someone."

Paige struggled to keep her anxiety in check. "Great," she said with forced lightness, "it's nice to know there are other vampire orders around."

Olivia shrugged. "True. Uh, just to let you know, there is another species of vampires. One that doesn't turn into a bat. They're a little closer to the human species than your old bat-morphing friends. And if you kill the head of their order, the other members will remain alive. Or undead."

"Gee, that's good to know."

Piper spoke up. "I have a question," she said to Olivia. "About your staff. The one you got from Scotland."

"What about it?" Olivia asked.

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"Why is the staff's knob shaped like a dragon? Aren't dragons supposed to be evil?"

Paige noticed the long-suffering expression on Olivia's face. A smirk curved Cole's mouth, which Phoebe also noticed. "What's so funny?" the latter demanded.

It was Olivia who answered. "Are you guys in the habit of labeling every being as either 'good' or 'evil'?" A slight touch of contempt had crept into her voice. "It sounds so simplistic."

Piper coolly replied, "How else can we tell the bad guys from the good guys?" She shot a dark look at Cole.

"If I were you, Piper, I'd be careful of that kind of reasoning. Sometimes, the 'bad guy' might turn out to be a powerful ally for good." Olivia paused, as her eyes turned a deeper shade of green. "Or the 'good guy' might end up doing something completely despicable, bringing out his or her darker nature. It's like my grandfather once told me - nothing in this world is certain."

The oldest Halliwell continued, "So, are you saying that dragons aren't evil?"

Olivia's mouth tightened into an impatient line. "Well . . . it depends."

"On what?"

The redhead stared at Piper. "It depends upon the dragon."

"But aren't dragons supposed to be serpents with wings? That breaths fire?" Phoebe asked. "We were taught that serpents are . . ."

"Evil?" Olivia finished. "According to whom?"

Piper spoke up. "How about the Bible? Remember the snake in the Garden of Evil? The one who had tempted Eve with the apple?"

"I have heard of it," Olivia replied. "But don't forget - I'm not Christian. I was never raised as one. Remember? And that's why I don't consider serpents or dragons as inherently evil. That's a concept widely believed in Western society, and only after the arrival of Christianity. Fire is regarded in the same manner. Why, I don't know, considering that it's a natural element like air or water. But . . . if you prefer to maintain this belief, well it's your prerogative."


The Charmed Ones remained silent. At least, until Paige spoke up. "I guess that's why so many dragons are shown as evil in the movies."

"True, but I've seen a few recent movies in which dragons aren't portrayed as evil."

Paige frowned. "You're not talking about the last LORD OF THE RINGS movie, are you?"

Olivia shook her head. "No. I doubt that very much. No, I'm talking of movies like DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS and DRAGONHEART."

"Speaking of a dragon's heart," Cole added, "did you know that they used to be sought as a source of power? I think Raynor . . . or was it the Source, who went after one for that very reason. I'm beginning to wonder if that was the real reason why so many dragons - at least here in the West - were hunted down."

"How observant of you," Piper replied sarcastically.

Then Paige asked Olivia if the staff had originally belonged to her ancestor, Niaghall. The redhead replied, "Yeah. It was made specifically for him, by his father."

"The one who was a demon?"

Olivia nodded. "Yeah, an incubus. That's why Niaghall was a wizard. He was adamitici - the offspring of a mortal and an incubus. Or a succubus."

Paige's frown deepened. "But shouldn't Cole be considered a wizard, since he's half-demon, half-mortal?"

"Mother isn't a succubus," Cole corrected.

Concern flared in Phoebe's eyes. "Isn't? You mean she's still alive? I thought she was dead."

Blue eyes bored into the Charmed One's dark ones. "I never said that Mother was dead."

"Oh, I . . ." Phoebe broke off, shaking her head. "Never mind."

Piper commented, "So, all wizards are the offspring of these . . . in . . . uh, seduction demons and mortals?"

Olivia shook her head. "No, not all wizards. Some are merely mortals, who have learned the arts of wizardry. The thing about wizards is that they are simply magick practitioners. Their magick are rooted in what you would call "ceremonial" practices. Rituals from ancient cultures like the Enochians, Goetic, and ancient Egyptians. Also, their magick comes from ancient practices from present-day cultures - Arabic and Cobbelistic . . ."

"Huh?" Paige frowned at her friend.

"Hebrew," Cole corrected. "Ancient Hebrew. Unlike Wiccans, many wizards have been known to accept Judeo-Christianity and Islamic religious beliefs. Or those similar to present-day Western religions. Especially in regard to angels and demons."

Piper regarded Cole with disbelief. "Wizards are religious?"

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Sighing, Olivia replied, "Like other beings, it depends upon the individual. Niaghall, by the way, had never really accepted Judeo-Christianity. He was a Druid, like his mother. Who was a witch, by the way."

"What about sorcerers?" Paige asked. "Or mages?"

"They're also wizards." Olivia paused. "Although sorcerers, for some reason, are considered evil. Wizards who are into the 'dark arts'. Which really means that they practice magick for dark purposes."

Paige added, "Like the wizard Phoebe had killed." From the corner of her eye, she saw Cole stiffened. Phoebe merely looked away."

Olivia, who seemed oblivious to the reactions from Paige's words, continued, "Another type of wizard is the necromancer. I believe Andre Morrell used to be one. You guys remember him from Bruce's wedding, right?"

"Cecile's boyfriend?" Phoebe looked confused. "But I thought he was a priest - a Voo . . . uh, I mean, a Vodoun priest?"

Cole smiled with mild derision. "Andre likes to refer to himself as a priest, or a hougan. But he still has the skills of a necromancer. A wizard. Trust me."

"And a necromancer," Olivia added, "is someone who practices the art of raising the spirit of the dead to commune with them. In order to see the future."

Piper did not look very impressed. "What's the big deal? We all can communicate with the spirit of the dead. Or ghosts."

"Necromancers can do more than commune with the spirits of the dead. They can also bring the dead back to life. And trust me, that is a rare talent. Very rare."

Cole added, "And you have one last type of wizard - an alchemist. There are many magick practitioners who are capable of practicing alchemy - including witches. Including me."

"What does an alchemist do?" Paige asked.

"An alchemist uses archaic practices - spiritual and chemical - to refine or purify his spirit and extend his life. He . . . or she can also change base metals into gold. Basically, an alchemist has the power of transmutation.

One of Piper's brows quirked upward. "She?"

Olivia explained, "There is such a thing as a female wizard. But for some reason, they're rarely regarded by that title."

"Hmmmm, sexism."

"Before you start bandying that word around," Olivia continued, "may I remind you that a good number of Wiccan groups refuse to regard or accept men as witches." She paused. "I think your grandmother had once belonged to such a group. Well . . . once."

Paige squirmed with discomfort, recalling Penelope Halliwell's reaction to her first-born grandchild being a male.

"So," Olivia added, "anymore questions before we move on?" Paige raised her hand. "Yeah Paige?"

The youngest Charmed One turned to her former brother-in-law. "Cole, what exactly is the Tuatha Dé Dannan? And is it true that you're descended from them?" Her question produced confused looks from her older sisters.

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"The Tuatha what?" Piper demanded. "Paige, what are you talking about?"

Cole sighed. "She's talking about the Tuatha Dé Dannan. They're a race of magical people from the Goddess Dann, who had arrived in Ireland from Lochlann or the Islands of the North, thousands of years ago. The Danu people, as they were called, arrived in Ireland bearing with them their Stone of Destiny called the Lia Fail, which they placed on the mound of Tara and ever after the rightful kings of Ireland were chosen when it called out. They also brought the Spear of Lugh which ensured victory to whoever wielded it; the Sword of Nuada from whom none could escape; and the Cauldron of the Dagda, from which none would go unsatisfied. First, they clashed with the Fir Bolg, otherwise known as the men of the bags or the pot-bellied ones in the first battle of Magh Tuiredh. And then they helped the Irish people break free from the Fomorians."

"Who?" Phoebe asked.

Cole continued, "The Fomorians were a race of evil giants who oppressed the Irish. They had demanded that the Irish sacrifice two-thirds of the corn crops, milk, and the first-born of each family."

Paige wrinkled her nose. "Ugh! I don't even want to know what they did to those poor kids."

"Don't worry," Cole said, "it all ended badly for the Fomorians. They had first tried to prevent the Danu people from arriving. There's a story they came to Ireland in flying ships but could not land as the Fomorians had set up a great energy field that they could not penetrate. So the Danu people had to circle Ireland nine times before finding a breach in the energy field and setting down on Sliabh an Iarainn - the Iron Mountain - in County Leitrim. The Tuatha Dé Dannan finally got rid of the Fomorians, when they defeated the latter's great warrior, Balor, at the second battle of Magh Tuiredh. And the Milesians at Teltown eventually defeated the Danu people. Since the latter was a magical race, they had decided to go underground into another dimension of space and time. There are many entrances to their dimension at sites around Ireland. One of the most famous being Brugh na Boinne, also called Newgrande."

Olivia added, "By the way, the second battle of Magh Tuiredh took place on Samhain, which is a Wiccan holiday."

"Before the Danu people were driven underground, one of them had conceived a child with with a Milesian or Gael woman. That child turned out to be one of my ancestors, on my mother's side. The Milesians are supposed to be ancestors of the Sidhe, or the People of the Mounds. You know, there are witches that are part of the Sidhe, today."

Piper shook her head, frowning. "Are you trying to tell us that you're descended from protectors of the innocents? On your mother's side?"

Rolling his eyes, Cole grumbled, "I never said that the Tuatha Dé Dannan or the Milesians were 'protectors of the innocents'. And as for me being descended from them, it's true. I've taken Olivia to the Danu people's dimension, many times."

Both Piper and Phoebe stared at Olivia, who nodded. "We still go there, now and then. For more training on my pyrokinesis. With their permission, of course." She paused and glanced at her watch. "Listen, it's almost time for lunch. Do you want to go ahead with the next topic, or take a break?"

"Lunch," Paige immediately replied. "I'm hungry." She had been aware of her stomach rumbling for nearly a half-hour.

Nodding, Olivia said, "Okay, we break for lunch." Both she and Cole stood up.

Paige stared at them. "Where are you going?"

"Out to lunch."

Cole added, shooting Piper a cool look, "Unless Piper doesn't mind preparing lunch for me . . ."

"I don't mind," Piper retorted. The others stared at her, while she glared at Cole. "So, you might as well stay."

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The half-demon and the red-haired witch slowly returned to their seats. Olivia commented, "It's too bad we're not at my place. I would have suggested that Cole prepare lunch. He's quite the chef."

"Cole can cook?" Phoebe's eyes widened with surprise.

Piper grunted. “Humph, I guess those JOY OF COOKING books I gave you for your birthday, worked out, after all.”<br>
“Actually, I use them as reference books,” Cole replied coolly. “I already knew how to cook.”<br>
“Huh?”<br>
Olivia nodded. “Oh yeah! He was trained as a chef at the famous Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Paris, during the 1920s. Isn’t that right, Cole?” The half-demon merely nodded. Stunned by the revelation, the three sisters stared at him. A smile stretched Olivia’s lips.


END OF BOOK VI-A

[mcharmed21]

"LESSONS IN WITCHCRAFT VI-B" by RFK


Lunch turned out to be a simple affair - chicken salad sandwiches with homemade potato chips and iced tea. Once the meal ended, the four women and the half-demon returned to the living room. Piper also carried a sleeping Wyatt in her arms. He had awakened during lunch, in order to be fed.

While she rocked the infant in her arms, Piper said to Olivia, "You know, you never did answer my first question, regarding demons."

"First question?" Olivia frowned.

"About demons being naturally evil. What is the Wiccan view on that?"

Olivia leaned back into the sofa, with a sigh. "Oh yeah. That question. Well, the Wiccan view is . . . they're not naturally evil." Her answer drew stares from the three sisters. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"Uh . . . yeah!" Piper shot back. "What do you mean that demons aren't evil?"

Cole spoke up. "I think what Olivia is trying to say is that Wiccans don't believe that any being is naturally good or evil."

"Wiccans believe that all beings have an equal potential for both," Olivia continued. "And that whatever actions we take, we have accept responsibility for the consequences. Of course, there are some religions that take a . . . uh, more black-and-white view on the matter. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are just to name a few."

"So, what you're saying is that you don't believe demons are inherently evil," Paige commented.

Olivia replied, "I'll take it even further. Wiccans don't believe in demons, or in such beings as Satan. Now, Vodouns like Cecile and Andre believe that demons are corporeal beings, but evil spirits. That's also a view shared by Christians, and so forth."

Paige frowned. "I don't get it. If demons are spirits, what the hell have we been fighting all of these years?"

"Daemons."

The Halliwells stared at Olivia with confused eyes. "Huh?" Phoebe shook her head. "What are you talking about? It sounds like the same thing."

Cole explained, "Olivia is talking about daemons. D-A-E-M-O-N-S. They, or I should say, we are divinities that rank between gods and mortals. We age like mortals, but at a much slower pace. Our age span is a lot longer. But technically, we're not immortals. Not really."

Comprehension dawned in Paige's eyes. "Is that why that succubus, Claudia Della Scalla, wanted Barbara's Soma plant? So she could become an immortal? A goddess?"

Olivia replied, "Yeah."

"But, demons . . . or daemons, or whatever you call 'em, are still evil," Phoebe insisted.

Talk about stubborn, Olivia retorted silently. She sighed and said to Phoebe, "If that's what you want to believe, it's your choice. Wiccans, however, believe differently. We believe that in the end, it all depends upon the individual - not the race or the species."

"Which also means that you don't believe in Satan," Piper challenged.

Olivia gave the oldest Halliwell a tart smile. "That's right."

Cole added, "You know, there are Christians who believe that Satan was originally one of God's angels. A fallen angel."

"Like a darklighter," Paige clarified.

Cole hesitated, before he answered, "Uh . . . okay. If you say so. Also, there are those who believe that Satan was never a fallen angel, but one of God's more ruthless agents."

Phoebe shook her head. "Now, I find that hard to believe. And even if demons aren't automatically evil, at least humans have a bigger potential for good. Right?"

Oh God, Olivia thought sardonically, another advocate of the 'Gene Roddenberry School of Humanity'. She heaved a large sigh and said aloud, "You know, it truly amazes me - the human capacity to pat itself on the back. Why are we like that? Do you ever wonder?"

Looking somewhat offended by Olivia's response, Phoebe bridled. "What do you mean by that?" she demanded.

Again, Olivia sighed. "Phoebe, I think you may have watched too much STAR TREK and that whole 'humanity on a pedestal' thing. Humanity's potential for good and . . . evil, is just about the same as other beings. Trust me. I speak from long experience."

"Cole doesn't think so," Phoebe shot back, glancing at her ex-husband. "Right Cole? Didn't you once tell Leo and Darryl that very few humans have the same capacity for evil, as demons?"

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Olivia stared at her boyfriend, who looked very embarrassed. And deservedly so, as far as she was concerned. He also squirmed with discomfort, under Olivia's close scrutiny. "Uh . . . well, it was Raynor who told me," Cole finally mumbled. A derisive snort escaped from Olivia's mouth. The half-demon glared at her. "What?"

"Look, I'm sure that Raynor was an intelligent and powerful being . . ." Olivia began.

Cole frowned. "But?"

Olivia continued, "Let me put it this way - I think that your old mentor, Raynor, had not spent enough time among humans. At least not long enough to get to really know them. I've been a cop for nearly nine years. Trust me, I've met plenty of humans who have committed acts just as heinous or even worse than those committed by your most notorious demon or warlock. The only difference is that the latter possess the ability to practice magick. Well, as far as I know."

Silence enveloped the Halliwell living room. The Charmed Ones and Cole stared at Olivia. Then Piper said, "You really don't like humans very much, do you?"

"My feelings about humans are at best, ambiguous. I'm more interested in individuals. Besides, this isn't about whether I like humans or not. I'm only telling you what I believe. And what I've experienced over the years." Olivia paused. When no one bothered to respond, she added, "Gee, I hope I didn't ruin everyone's mood."

Wearing a wan smile, Paige piped up, "Well, you may have shaken my world view a bit. Otherwise, I'm fine."

A quick glance at Paige's two older sisters told Olivia that they did not share the younger woman's feelings. On the other hand, Cole looked as if he had experienced an epiphany. Olivia managed a smile. "So . . . does anyone have any questions or comments? About demons, or should I say, daemons?"

Once more, silence reigned free, until Piper broke it. "Well, with no Source ruling the Underworld, along with the Triad and Cole's old buddies - the Brotherhood of the Whatever, gone . . ."

"Brotherhood of the Thorn," Cole corrected.

"What?"

The half-demon repeated, "My old order is called the Brotherhood of the Thorn. And it still exists, by the way."

A distraught expression appeared on Phoebe's face. "Oh my God! Is that true? I thought the Brotherhood had been destroyed after you killed Whatshisname, Raynor?"

"Where did you get that idea?" Cole shot back. "A new leader had simply assumed Raynor's old position. That's all. Who, I haven't the foggiest idea."

Piper regarded her ex-brother-in-law with confusion. "You mean to say that you knew that Brotherhood still existed, but you have no idea who is the new leader?"

Cole rolled his eyes in contempt. "Please don't tell me that you find that hard to believe," he replied sardonically. "Because that phrase is in danger of becoming redundant."

"Well, why didn't you tell us that the Brotherhood still existed?" Piper retorted. "Why did you have us believe that it had been destroyed?"

[mcharmed21]

Confusion marred Cole's handsome face. "What the hell are you talking about? I never said anything about the Brotherhood being destroyed! I merely told Phoebe that I had killed Raynor. He wasn't exactly the first to lead the order!"

"Oh." Piper looked contrite. And disturbed by Cole's revelation. "Then if your old brotherhood is still around, why hasn't a new Source emerged?"

Cole shrugged his shoulders. "How the hell would I know? The last I heard, some demon was trying to gather supporters for his claim as the new Source, but no one seems to know his or her name."

The news of a possible new Source seemed to have disturbed the Charmed Ones. Olivia, on the other hand, felt rather calmed by the news. She and her family had realized that a new Source's emergence was bound to happen.

"A new Source?" Piper heaved a long-suffering sigh. "I guess we have to find out who this new demon is and stop him. Or her."

Olivia stared at the oldest sister. "Why?" she asked. "Why would you go through all that trouble?"

"To stop a new Source from taking over the Underworld, of course!" Piper replied in a tone that Olivia found patronizing.

Keeping her patience in check, Olivia shot back, "And why do you think that's necessary?"

Phoebe regarded the redhead with disbelief. "Are you saying that you want a new Source?"

Olivia sighed. "No, I'm not. But I'm trying to understand why you feel it's necessary to go chase after a new candidate for the Source."

"Hel-lo? Past experience?" Phoebe retorted. "Sometimes, I really don't understand you, Olivia. If there's a new Source, he or she will re-organize the Underworld. And probably go after us."

It was all Olivia could do from openly rolling her eyes in contempt. "And what makes you think that the next Source would be interested in coming after you? Or any of us? Because the last one was?"

"Well . . . I'd give that answer a big yes," Piper shot back.

[mcharmed21]

Phoebe, the only reason why the old Source went after you," Olivia continued, ignoring Piper's caustic remark, "is because someone . . ."

Cole added, "Either the Oracle or the Seer."

". . . had foreseen the Charmed Ones - namely you - killing him," the redhead finished. "And the dumb bastard became so paranoid and obsessed over that vision that he ended up destroying himself . . . twice."

Phoebe replied, "Still, with no Source, the demonic realm will remain in chaos. And witches all over will be safer . . ."

"Safer? Says who?" Olivia demanded. "Leo?" She snorted with derision. "Sometimes, I think that whitelighters have their noses so far up their ass that they don't really know what the hell is going on. Just because some demonic realm is in chaos, doesn't mean that we're all safer. Look at what has happened to all of us in the past year or so." Olivia paused. "By the way, which demonic realm are you referring to?"

Piper frowned. "What do you mean 'which demonic realm'? There's more than one?"

Olivia looked upon the other woman as a mentally challenged child. Penelope Halliwell had certainly done a piss-poor job of preparing her granddaughters for knowledge on the supernatural. The redhead looked at her boyfriend. "Cole, how many demonic realms are there?"

"I have no idea," the half-demon replied laconically. "Hell, there's a lot of 'em, and the Source had only ruled a handful."

Piper looked flabbergasted. "Oh my God!" she cried. "I can't . . . I just can't believe this!"

Cole rolled his eyes. "What can I say, Piper? Mind you, the demonic realms that I'm familiar with are only known to religions in European and Middle Eastern countries. Especially to those in the British Isles, France, the Germanic and Scandanavian countries."

"Of course!" Paige exclaimed, startling Olivia. "I remember you saying something similar when we first met Riggerio."

Olivia added, "As for you going after this new candidate for the Source's throne - unless he or she decides to go after you, I suggest that you refrain from doing it. It's irreverent."

"But with a new Source gone . . ." Phoebe began.

Olivia stared at her. "Yes?"

Phoebe's voice dropped to a near whisper. "Well, evil . . ." She paused. "Never mind."

"What were you about to say?" Olivia asked. "That evil will no longer flourish? But of course it will. You can't destroy real evil. None of us can. It's not even corporeal. It's a spirit. The spirit of evil that's within all of us. Some of us give in to it right away . . ."

Piper added, "Like demons and warlocks."

"And witches," Olivia said, with a dark look. "Including witches." Piper rolled her eyes. Olivia continued, "So, you can't destroy real evil. And despite his title, the Source was never the epitome of real evil. As much as he had probably believed."

Once more, an uncomfortable silence filled the room. Olivia had lost count on how many times she had managed to shock the sisters into silence. She noticed, however, that it was becoming a habit. Finally, Paige came to the rescue - once more. "By the way," the younger woman asked, "what's the difference between a warlock and a de . . . I mean, a daemon? Isn't the first supposed to be . . . what? An evil witch or a low-level demon?"

Cole explained that warlocks were simply magick practitioners who had perverted witchcraft for dark purposes. "Like the Crozats," he added. "Warlock is a Scottish word that means 'oath breaker'."

"Warlocks also steal witches' powers," Piper said. "And they blink when teleporting."

Olivia stared at the eldest Halliwell. "Actually Piper, any good magick practitioner can steal someone else's power," she corrected. "A warlock's goal isn't to steal a witch's power."

Phoebe said, "What about the Crozats? They had killed a lot of witches for new powers."

"They were consolidating power to take over the Source's realm," Olivia explained. "And didn't they try to steal Cole's powers, as well? Come to think of it, didn't you guys once encounter some warlocks trying to do the same to other demons?"

Cole added, "I remember that. It happened not long after I had lost my powers. When we were trying to help that muse."

Olivia continued, "Also, warlocks aren't the only ones who can blink. So can a witch or any other being with that teleporting ability. My mother's Cousin Anwen can blink. So can Nathalie Green."

Looking flabbergasted, Phoebe exclaimed, "She can? But how . . . When Prue's marriage to that warlock had turned all of us into one, we could blink.

Olivia shrugged. "It's possible that particular 'wedding ceremony' had passed the warlock's teleporting power to all three of you. From what Leo had told me, the ceremony was rather unusual."

Paige stared at Phoebe with confusion. "Prue had married a warlock?"

"Long story," her older sister interjected. "Prue had married him, while under a spell. Besides, even Piper had dated a warlock."

[mcharmed21]

The oldest Halliwell shuddered slightly. "Oh my God! Jeremy! He was another warlock who was killing witches for their powers, around the time we first got our powers. It turned out that I didn't know he was a warlock, until we had been dating for several months."

"How did you find out?" Paige asked.

"It happened inside the freight elevator of some old building. When Jeremy went into game face."

Both Olivia and Cole exchanged startled looks. "Game face?" The half-demon expressed doubt. "A warlock? This Jeremy sounds more like a vampire."

"He wasn't a vampire," Piper retorted with a touch of asperity. "And yes, he did go into game face."

A frowning Olivia shook her head. "That's not possible. Warlocks can't go into game face. They're mortals."

"But they can't be!" Phoebe protested. "A friend of mine once shot a warlock at close range. The warlock didn't even flinch, let alone drop dead. You remember Eric, don't you Piper? And the two warlocks that were after the Akashic Records?"

Piper nodded. "I remember."

Heaving an exasperated sigh, Olivia tried to explain. "Let me repeat myself. Warlocks are mortals. I should know. I've encountered them before. Including Suzanne Crozat, who had dropped dead from two bullets, thanks to me."

“So, what are you saying?” Phoebe demanded. “That Jeremy and those two . . . guys were . . .?”<br>
“. . . probably demons,” Cole finished in a dry tone. He paused, as the others stared at him. “Are they in your Book of Shadows?”<br>
“Uh . . . yeah, I think . . .” Piper turned to her sisters.

Paige immediately went into action and orbed the Halliwells’ Book of Shadows into her hands. She placed it on the coffee table, before her.

Piper leaned down and turned the pages. She stopped at one that featured a drawing of a good-looking man with light brown hair. “Hmmm, color pencils,” Olivia commented. “Nice drawing. Prue?”<br>
“Yeah,” Piper replied. “I guess she was a pretty good artist. Not exactly in Paige’s class, but pretty good.” A pleased expression flitted across the youngest Charmed One’s face. Piper added, “Oh, that’s Jeremy, by the way.”<br>
Cole gazed at the drawing. “Jeremiah,” he corrected.

Piper stared at him. “What?”<br>
“His name was Jeremiah,” the half-demon continued. “A low-level, half-demon. His mother was a warlock – and not a very good one, at that. I had met him once, nearly ten years ago. His mother had given him a Biblical name. As some kind of joke.”<br>
Horror filled Piper’s dark eyes. “Wait a minute! Are you saying that I had once dated a demon? Had sex with one?” she cried.

Cole’s mouth curled with sardonic amusement. “I wouldn’t worry, Piper. Your little romance happened a few years ago. And at least you and Phoebe are in good company.” The two older Halliwells glared at him.

Then Phoebe sat next to Paige, on the sofa. Olivia watched, as she turned a few pages, before stopping at one that featured two middle-aged men. Both possessed forefingers that resembled pointed sticks. “What about them?” she asked Cole.

[mcharmed21]

The half-demon glanced down at the page. He nodded. “Yeah, I recognized them. The Collectors. They’re demons that have the ability to drain information from the minds of others. Like the Seekers. Only the Collectors tend to leave their victims, feeble-minded.” A frown creased Cole’s brow. “Why does the Book have them listed as warlocks?”<br>
“Because they had a blinking . . .” Phoebe broke off with a sigh. “I guess that whoever had added them to the Book, had made a mistake.”<br>
“No kidding.” Cole’s remark earned him another glare from his ex-wife.

Olivia, who sat on the other side of Paige, reached out and turned a few pages. She came upon a faint drawing of a female demon listed as Hecate. She frowned. “This is Hecate? You’ve encountered her, before?”<br>
Piper nodded. “Oh yeah. She was a demon who had tried to marry a mortal – some guy from one of San Francisco’s top families. The Spencers. She wanted to conceive a powerful half-demonic child.”<br>
“Hecate?” Olivia’s voice rang with doubt. “You make her sound like a succubus. And I’ve never known Hecate to be described as one.” She paused. “Are you sure this demon was Hecate? The real Hecate doesn’t have a reputation for evil.”<br>
“Well, this Hecate was definitely evil,” Piper insisted.

Olivia shook her head. “I’m beginning to suspect that this was not the real Hecate.”<br>
“She’s not,” Cole added.

“What do you know about her?” Paige asked.

Cole explained that the real Hecate was a Titan, who possessed three heads – a lion’s, a dog’s and a mare’s. Hecate was the only Titan who managed to keep her powers, after Zeus had defeated her father, Cronus. The latter had led a rebellion against the leading god.

“She’s also known as a spirit,” Olivia added. “And her name is usually invoked by other ghosts . . . and witches.”<br>
The news seemed to stun the Halliwells, especially Piper and Phoebe. “But that doesn’t sound like the Hecate we had met,” Phoebe protested. “So, who was the demon we had vanquished, five years ago?”<br>
No one – not even Cole – had an answer to Phoebe’s question. Olivia’s mouth became parched. She needed a drink. Badly. She glanced at the manor’s grandfather clock, when it struck three o’clock. “Why don’t we call it a day?” she suggested. “I think that we’ve covered all we could.”<br>
“Um, could we hold off on the lessons for a while?” Phoebe asked. The others looked at her. “I’m going to be out of town for a week. In Chicago.”<br>
Olivia nodded. “Sure.” She glanced at Cole, who seemed to be frowning at the Book of Shadows. “Cole, is there something wrong?”

At that moment, Cole grabbed the Book, generating gasps from the Charmed Ones. “How did you . . .?” Piper began, looking shocked.

“What?” Cole glanced at the book in his hands. He began flipping back through the pages. “Oh. Relax. I won’t . . . infect your book,” he added sardonically. “Besides, I’ve handled Olivia’s Book of Shadows, a number of times. Besides, my intent is sincere.”<br>
Piper retorted caustically, “Oh, that makes me feel a whole lot better.”<br>
“It’s a feeling that won’t last,” Cole shot back.

“Meaning?”<br>
He pointed at a page featured opposite the Collector demons. “I found another mistake in your Book. The Order of Gimle. It says here that it’s a demonic order. For evil.”<br>
Phoebe eyed Cole warily. “Well, isn’t it?”<br>
Closing the Book, Cole sighed. “It’s a demonic order, all right.” He paused. “Only, the Gimle demons don’t serve evil. They’re usually on the other side of the fence.” He smiled and handed the Book of Shadows back to a stunned Piper.