Inferno of the Heart

[MechAngel]

Hello again, everyone!

I have been working on this piece for a couple of weeks -- not straight, of course, but a few hours here and there -- and I think i am very satisfied with out it turned out. It is much longer than i thought it was, so please bare with me, but i really, really hope anyone who reads it enjoys it.

One comment for those of you who I RP with that may read this. A character of mine, Charles Anderson from The Darkest Day, was very much based on this character, in that his family, too, was destryed in very much the same means, as well as the anger anf rage in his heart that he feels on a day to day basis.

Between each of the 'replies' of the story, there is either a change in scene or just a pause (think of it as a wonderful place for a commertial, had this been a show of television)). It is not one continuous scene, but considering I typed this in Word and was thus able to use page breaks for pauses or scene changes, I will not be able to transfer these breaks to this post. So please just try to handle the various reply posts with this new knowledge in mind!

Also, I have included two endings to the story. I was unsure of whether to end it nicely or otherwise, so I inclided both endings. Read either ending first, or read both of them, but decide for yourself how the story should be ended.

Anyways, here is the debut of my story, Inferno of the Heart!

~MechAngel

[MechAngel]

I used to be a normal man. I had a family once. But now I am changed.

Charles was a young lad when it all began. His life had a complicated beginning. He lived in a broken home – his mother left him with his father, and she never returned. His father, who had cheated on the mother for years, married the adulteress and brought her into the household in which Charles was raised along with his young sister Anastasia. Things were not terrible – money was tight, food was sometimes scarce, and the neighborhood was no place to raise two young children. But Charles’ father was determined to try to raise them right. But something happened.

Something went wrong one night, when his Father was expected home and never showed. Days later the man dragged his haggard heels through the door, looking like hell on earth. He bled, he yelled into the darkness in agony, and there was nothing either of the family members could do to keep him quiet. Eventually his screams died down, and he slept for days. And when he was awakened, he was an entirely new man. He was dark, cold, reserved, and mad. The stepmother spent long hours trying to speak to him, but always returned to the two children deeply disturbed. This went on for days, weeks, who truly knew…

But the stepmother began to change as well. Like a sick disease the darkness began to spread. The stepmother, once a moderately caring person, was just plain evil. Soon, as the father began to come out of his shell, the two parents began to harass the children, just for amusement.

Charles’ parents tortured and tormented him in horrible ways, and often took their excess aggression out on his dear younger sister, Anastasia. They locked the two away for days, beat them, even went as far as poisoning their food. The young Charles and younger Anastasia could do nothing about it – try as they might, they could never run far enough, never hide well enough, and never scream loud enough to escape the hell.

However, at the age of 12, Charles set fire to his home late in the night, pulling his sister out to safety. He and Anastasia watched the house burn to the ground from a far distance, and listened to the nightmarish wails of their burning parents. They never enjoyed what they did, but Charles did it to save his sister, and Anastasia was convinced that it was for the good of the two. And so, for long hours the two children watched the flames eat away at their horrible past, and destroy the evil that enveloped their young lives. As the light of the fire began to die down, the two left forever, and never turned back. The memories would never leave the pair.

They told no one that they had started the fire, and they were never found out. Afterwards, a nice couple that raised them well adopted him and his dear sister. Charles and Ana felt love, warmth, and security – they felt everything they had never felt in the past, and enjoyed every moment of it. It seemed as if life was finally looking up for him, as if life was finally perfect. They attended school, met new friends, and lived in a wonderful house. However, his foster parents were slain several years later, their home set ablaze in the dark of night, and Charles and Anastasia were forced to flee in the night before they, too, met their deaths. They never found out who had set fire to their home, who had killed their parents, but it had happened, and once again the memories would never leave the two.

Life changed, and time passed. Charles became a man, moving into a house he had seen for sale on the outskirts of a beautiful ocean-side village. His sister moved in with him, for they had become extremely close, in light of their horrible pasts. The two tried their best to live the life they thought they had – a wonderful life, devoid of fear. Soon, he met a beautiful young woman by the name of Alyssa Forthill. They dated, they married, and were blessed with twins, a boy and girl. Charles, Anastasia, Alyssa, and the twins moved into the small house by the ocean and led a simple, yet divine life. He loved Alyssa more than life itself, he loved the twins more than words could describe, and Anastasia remained very, very close to Charles, and he to her. They were one very happy family.

But the past can never truly be hidden for long. Two creatures, demonic embodiments of his parents, Father and Stepmother, came to his home. They bound him by metaphysical means, and proceeded to brutally torture Charles’ two children, his loving wife, and his dearest sister. They then set fire to their new home, and, through some unknown means, kept Charles alive within the home to watch his family burn to death. And before leaving him, they took his vision, so the horrible images of his family’s death would haunt him for the rest of eternity. And haunt him they most certainly did.

[MechAngel]

“I don’t recognize myself anymore. I was not a bad person. I went to church, I prayed to God, devoted my life to the Lord and my family. Why did these things have to happen?

My sleep is full to hellish dreams, nightmares that I can never escape, even when I awake. My vision is completely gone – I live a world of darkness and fear. However, I do not need vision to see. The world around me tells me of its presence, allows me to walk unhindered. Perhaps it is not the world that is telling me of its presence, though. Often I have wondered if it is something more – something inside of me. Sometimes I have been able to see the souls of creatures – they appear to me as white anomalies before me. Sometimes, I have been able to feel the presence of others. They hum lightly; a sound that cannot be heard by conventional means, though can be heard just over the noises of the Earth itself. But most of the time, I see nothing in my dark world but the slaughter of my family, of everything close and true in my life. My world came crashing down, and even vengeance will not make up for that fact.

I do the best I can to get by. Being a faithful, God-fearing man, suicide is out of the question, for I would never see his family in heaven – I would be thrown to the underverse, looking up into the skies of fire to try and see them in the clouds. And so I do what I can to help others, for that is the only way my life seems good. But I am constantly in search of the demonic figures that took my family, as well as my sight.

I know what you are, and what you do, and I know that you can help me, like you have helped so many before me. If you choose to help me, you will hear from me again. And if not, I am sure someone will. But please, I beg of you, help me avenge my family, and set my soul free!

Signed,
Charles”

As Phoebe read this letter, she trembled in fear. When she had originally opened the letter, it was addressed to her, like her other thousands of letters, as an Ask Phoebe letter, intended to be read and placed in her newspaper column. However, this was evidently not the case – perhaps it was meant to catch her attention, which it most certainly did. This man, Charles, however, knew what the sisters were, and truly needed their help.

Phoebe stood from her desk, spilling several letters on the ground, and bounded out of her office. She left only a brief message of ‘Working from Home’ with the secretary of her boss, and left the complex, heading straight home. In her hand she tightly clenched the paper, glancing at it at red lights or busy intersections. The script was so neatly written – surely, if he was truly blind, he could not have written this. But deep in her heart, she knew Charles was not lying.

The ride home was long, and as she pulled into the driveway of the Manor, she almost forgot to put on the parking brake before dashing into the front door. The house was empty from the looks, and this added to the unsettling feeling in her stomach. Into the kitchen she ventured, and she poured herself something to drink, to try and ease the tension. She sat at the table, sipping a glass of orange juice, waiting for someone to return home.

The phone rang, and Phoebe jumped right out of her seat, spilling her drink everywhere. It took her a moment to get a grip on reality, and she finally went to answer the phone.

“Yes, hello?”

“Phoebe, just the gal I wanted to talk to. They said you left your office very suddenly, is something wrong? I tried your cell, but you didn’t answer at all.” On the other end was the lighthearted voice of Paige, calling from some corner of the globe, or perhaps just from downtown.

“Umm… I got this note at work. I… I really think you should come home. Are you with Piper?” Phoebe tried her best to keep her wits about her, but her voice began to tremble.

“Yeah, we’re both here. Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine, just a bit shaken up. Just come home soon, okay?”

“Sure, we’ll be home as soon as we can. Just stay put, get something cold to drink.”

Phoebe glanced at her orange juice mess, which was dripping steadily down the edge of the table to the floor, creating a bigger and bigger puddle. The phone on the other end died, and Phoebe hung up the receiver, wondering how she was going to be able to wait patiently until they arrived.

[MechAngel]

“This is serious stuff… How does this guy know who we are?” Piper, looking down at the beautifully written note, questioned.

“I have no idea. I really think we should try to contact this guy, give him some help.” Paige spoke, pacing the floor.

“How though? He said he would contact us if we decided to help… Creepy, and cryptic.” Phoebe, who now held the note, added. “I have been trying to get a premonition from this thing since I got it, but it has nothing.”

“So it’s decided – we’re going to help Charles then? Just like that? I mean, these demons could be some otherworldly, high-level demons that we may have nothing on – no vanquishing spells or potions, to charms, no weapons. Who knows what we’re up against?” Piper retaliated, trying her best to keep the group safe.

“Well, we very well can’t just leave him alone, especially after this note. This note is true; there is no doubt about it. We have to do something, Piper. We can’t ignore this. I want to help him.” Phoebe chimed in, giving Piper a hurt look.

Immediately after Phoebe spoke, the phone rang. Paige quickly picked it up and answered. Her face, once moderately cheery, melted to a blank look, and she turned her wide eyes towards Phoebe.

“Its him.”

Phoebe, now wide-eyed herself, stood and went to the phone, Piper right on her tail. They all bent inward to hear the conversation as Phoebe spoke. But before Phoebe could speak, the voice on the other end interrupted her.

“Hello Phoebe! How are you on this lovely Tuesday? I’m sorry if my note was a little intense – the words were true, and were certainly meant to capture your attention. I’m glad you trust me enough to want to help me, for any help I can acquire will be much appreciated.” The voice on the other line was quite unexpected – a man, happy, cheerful, and full of enthusiasm.

“I… Yes, we want to help. How did you know? How do you know of us, what we are?” Phoebe was still taken aback by the voice, but it was much more preferable to some gruff, vengeful tone.

“That is relatively unimportant. I would very much like to meet with you three, if that is all right. It is close to noon, is it not? Perhaps lunch? Name the place. My treat.”

“What is he saying, what does he want?” Paige asked, unable to hear the conversation.

“He wants to take us out to lunch.” Phoebe answered.

[MechAngel]

There, sitting by his lonesome at a table much larger than necessary, was a man. He wore very neat clothing – a white, button-up shirt, khaki pants, and dark tan shoes. He was a handsome man: not particularly alluring, but nice-looking. He was a bit on the thin side, with a toned build and a light tan. However, he sported a pair of deep red sunglasses, which completely hid his eyes from the world. Leaning forward, he lifted a white mug to his lips and sucked in a mouthful of dark coffee, swallowing hard. The man set the mug on the table next to an open book, which, from afar, had no words, printed on the pages. However, the man moved nimble fingers in neat rows across the pages, and apparently was able to understand what was happening.

The sisters entered the coffee house and, looking around, realized it must be a very popular place, for just about every table was filled with couples chatting merrily, friends laughing, and people by their selves reading books and magazines. The sisters looked about, and their vision was drawn to the man in the glasses, who, by now, had turned to look in their direction. The man smiled and stood, waving a hand to the empty chairs occupying his table. The three sisters looked between each other and hesitantly approached.

“I’m very glad you three could make it! I figured you would think this was some sort of demon trap or something. That’s why I chose such a place: a place filled with people, to show that I intend to cause you no harm. Please, sit! Can I get any of you anything?” The man sat after the sisters had sat in their seats, leaning back in his chair and getting comfortable.

“No… H-how did you know we were here? I thought you said you… you couldn’t see?” Paige leaned in close to speak her question, somewhat embarrassed about the topic, but curious nonetheless.

The man leaned in close himself, a curious smile on his face. “I could feel you coming. And you do not have to whisper, dear – I am blind, not deaf.”

“So, um, Charles was it? What exactly did you have in mind that we help you with?” Piper, wanting to get right to the point, asked.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! Yes, I am Charles Anderson, very pleased to meet you.” Charles extended his hand towards the middle of the table, shaking whoever’s hand he came in contact with. “I was hoping we could talk about that in a little while, perhaps after we’ve gotten to know each other, perhaps in private…” Charles’ cheerful look suddenly faded slightly, and the ghost of sorrow shadowed his face.

Sensing the sudden change of the man’s mood, Phoebe changed the subject. “Do you come here often, Charles?”

A waitress carrying several mugs and a pot of coffee on a silver tray stopped by the table, smiling to the man and the women. “Oh, Charles? He comes in here almost every day! We all enjoy his company – he’s quite the smooth-talker, and has quite the sense of humor!”

“Annette, you’re sweet! This is exactly why I come here, because of you, dearie!” The man smiled lightly to the older waitress, who blushed and laughed and, after filling the cups and handing them around, walked off. Once again, the sisters exchanged glances.

“You don’t trust me much, do you? I can sense the tension… I promise you, I will do nothing to harm you. I mean well, I really do.” Once again, Charles sipped at his coffee, which had recently had quite the refill.

“Its nothing personal, we just have to be careful of whom we trust, that’s all.” Paige, who had taken up a mug for herself, answered for the group, and received a few nods from her sisters.

“Sure sure, that’s very understandable, especially in your line of work. What can I do to ease the tension a bit?” Charles let his glass rest on the table and took a sugar cookie from a plate nobody had noticed in the middle of the table.

“Well, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself? Who are you, what do you do…” Phoebe, who was genuinely curious, asked.

“Well, as you know, my name is Charles Anderson. I was an engineer for a while, before I lost my sight. Now I do a lot of writing – mainly informational books for the company I once worked for, but I do a bit of free-lancing as well, writing novels and such, just for fun. I also volunteer at a church not too far from here.” Charles kept the same sweet smile on his face as he spoke, munching his sugar cookie after he was done.

Before she could stop herself, Paige asked the question that was burning in all three sisters’ minds. “Can I ask how you lost your sight?” The other sisters sneered at her, but secretly thanked her for asking for them.

Charles suddenly lost that sweet smile, and the shadow of sorrow returned. The change was startling for the women, and they instantly regretted asking. Charles lifted a hand to his blood red glasses and repositioned them a bit out of habit.

“I… I would rather talk about that in private, if you do not mind. Th-these people don’t need to hear what happened…”

The sisters nodded, though remembering he could not see, stopped embarrassedly. They saw the pain in the look on his face, and all of them tried to think of some way to change the topic. It seemed as though the entire coffee house had gone silent, and that silence was growing with every moment. The eventually changed the subject, and the silence receded.

The sisters and Charles talked for several hours. They laughed, for Charles truly had quite the sense of humor. They listened to stories, and told a few of their own. They shared favorite book titles and authors, music, and movies. The Charmed ones found that Charles was very easy to talk to, and was quite a kind gentleman. But when all was said and done, and they checked their watches, they realized that time had flown by, and the afternoon was growing late.

But then the serious conversation was brought up. It was decided that, after a brief recess, the group would meet back at a local park to talk about what could not be said in the presence of mortals. And so the sisters and Charles departed, each returning to their homes.

[MechAngel]

The day grew into night – the sun set slowly, and the moon took its throne amongst the shining stars. Thick black clouds blotted out portions of the sky. A nice, easy breeze swept away the fallen leaves to whatever their final destination may be, and chilled the night’s air. Trees scratched and clawed at the sky, moaning and wailing into the darkness, with the aid of the breeze.

Charles saw none of this, but he knew what was going on regardless. Something in the heavens told him that day had faded, and that darkness now solely ruled the land. The earth made itself known to him, told him the secrets of the land that stretched out before him. Each leaf that scraped along the acres of green lawn told Charles its tale before escaping into the night, and each blade of grass billowing against the breeze sang its song to him. Charles, seated on a wooden bench, simply leaned back, smiled, and took in his surroundings.

Piper pulled her car into the parking lot a good distance away, parking underneath the golden glow of a street lamp. As she cut power to the engine, the three sisters climbed out of the vehicle and looked about, wondering if this was such a good idea. They indeed came prepared – potions, scrolls of enchantments, and a few other charms to keep them safe. They came to like Charles, but being only a few hours after they met him, and being in such a location and time, they wanted to be sure he was legit. After a moment, they saw a man sitting on a bench, basking below a gentle glow of yet another street light. And as they watched, he seemed almost divine – it seemed that the streetlight was providing no light at all, that he himself was illuminating with some deep, inner light. He seemed to peaceful sitting there that the thought was actually pressed upon by the sisters, pondered more than once as they approached the man.

Charles, feeling the grass give way to three sets of feet, stood and turned in their direction, waving lightly. As usual, he sported a wonderful smile, and was very appropriately dressed, considering the current setting. As the women saw Charles wave, they each waved back and, realizing he could not see their gestures, they stopped. Charles walked forward and closed the short distance between the two groups.

“Welcome welcome, thank you so much for coming tonight. I realize this may seem like an odd place to meet, and you may be very skeptical, but I assure you this place is very safe. I come here very often just to think, to ponder life’s questions and concerns. It’s a very serene place – not many people come here at this hour, especially with the sun setting so early.” Charles extended a hand, and was reciprocated with a volley of handshakes.

“Well, thank you for inviting us. I’m glad we could talk again, I had a great time this afternoon!” Phoebe, who had taken a small step forward, expelled her words quickly, smiling very brightly.

“Well, I am very glad you enjoyed yourselves. I had a wonderful time as well! I don’t get too much company now-a-days, but that is besides the point. Perhaps now I should fill you in on my current situation, and tell you the things I was not so keen on sharing in the presence of others. They didn’t need to hear it, and wouldn’t understand. But I am sure I can trust you three with my past, and in return, perhaps you can trust me in the future. Sit, and I will tell you my tale.” Charles pivoted and turned, waving an arm before the bench, where the three were invited to sit. And as they sat and got comfortable, Charles began to speak again.

Charles spent much time revealing to the women the secrets of his past – exactly how much time was not known, nor was necessary to be known. He started from his early childhood, from the days of his true mother and father, and his dear sister Anastasia. He spoke of family turmoil, of the separation of the family and the mother, and how the new stepmother came into his life. He relayed to them what had happened to his father – exact details were fuzzy, for it had been many years since then, but he seemed to remember the story well. And, rather hesitantly, he spoke of what was done to him and his sister, and how he solved the problem in his own way.

Charles spoke openly, for he did not feel the need to hide details from the Charmed ones. He tried to portray the event as vividly as humanly possible, and did a horrifyingly spectacular job at it. It was painful to remember such past events, and that pain was all too present in his voice. Quite often he was told that he need not continue, but he insisted to speak, for he felt that any details revealed would help.

He told the three of the new life he and Anastasia lived – of how they traveled for a short time before being adopted by a nice, loving family. But another fire stole from him his life, and once again he and Ana were forced to leave and journey into life. He spoke of how for years they ran, became outcasts from society, wandering from town to town trying to survive, and struggling to do so. And finally, when things started to build themselves together for Charles and his sister, how the woman of his dreams came into his life, and provided for him two beautiful children.

And finally, he ended his heart-breaking story with the horrible death of his wife, children, and dear sister, and how the culprits stole his vision, to be sure that Charles thought of nothing more than that horrible night. By this time, tears flowed quite freely between all four of them. Charles had stopped pacing, and sat now on the chilled grass, covering his tear-streaked face, weeping bitterly. Phoebe knelt to his side, trying her best to comfort him through tears of her own. Silence soon settled into the area, and those free-falling tears dried up, and the sobs died down, and the four returned to reality.

Charles stood, and when room was made for him to sit on the bench, he sat, facing the wide-open grounds of the park. The women, who had comforted each other for long moments, now leaned against one another, like Charles, staring into the dark void, trying to process the words of Charles. After a moment, Charles once again broke the silence, his voice calm, cool and collected, for bouts of terrible sorrow like this wracked his frail frame often.

“And so, I ask of you three to help me. What was done to me is unforgivable, but what was done to my family is just… terrible. I ask you to help avenge my family, destroy the beings that have taken from me everything, and I most certainly mean everything! I don’t know how to go about doing this, for I have been trying unsuccessfully for years, but you three, being much more knowledgeable in the field of demonology, can truly help me. All I need to know is where to find the beings that did this, and how to destroy them – I can take care of the rest. Please, don’t let my family go un-avenged.”

“We will do everything we can, Charles. We will find them, I promise you!” Piper, who sat to one side of Charles, spoke very strongly. The others chimed in and agreed whole-heartedly, and Charles was so very thankful.

[MechAngel]

“Look, I don’t know how we are going to sort through this list, but we have to!” Paige, standing before a large sheet of paper, spoke to her sisters, Charles, and Leo.

“I know, but it is a bit more difficult that just doing more research. The Elders are puzzled – they had heard of this incident occurring, but they couldn’t track what had caused any of the fires or the deaths. They tried…” Leo, who had recently returned from the Above world, relayed his information to the group. He heard a very short version of the story from Piper, and, though skeptical of Charles at first, had seen, as well as felt, the good in him, and had promised to help as much as he could.

“We can’t very well pay each of these demons a visit, that would be suicide, and would take much too much time.” Phoebe, standing before the Book of Shadows, continued to flip through many, many marked pages of possible demon entities they could think of.

“No, I do not want you gals to get into harm’s way. Do not go chasing demons around for my sake – if anything, give me the list and I will do some searching.” Charles, now sitting on a stool next to the Book and Phoebe, made his voice heard.

“We’re not going to send you to a bunch of demon lairs, Charles. And besides, we have vanquished many, many demons in out time – we can handle ourselves pretty well on the battlefield.” Paige wondered how Charles intended on fighting with these demons without seeing him. However, despite the loss of his vision, Charles had continuously impressed the women by suggesting he was able to ‘see’ certain items and objects by other means than vision.

“Besides, we’re going to take some more time and scratch off as many demons from this list as possible. We want to encounter as few demons at once as possible.” Phoebe spoke, gently patting Charles on the shoulder. She had, quite evidently, taken a liking to the new family friend, and rarely left his side.

“We will continue to do our research. I think the best thing you can do right now is let us do our work. We will stay in contact and let you know whenever we find out something new, all right?” Leo, who had just now ended a side-conversation with Piper, approach Charles and shared his opinion.

“Sure, sure. I’ll get out of your hair. I don’t know how I can possibly thank you enough, all of you. Regardless of whether we find them or not, you all have been so willing to help me, and for that I thank you.”

“We are more than glad to help. And I promise you, we will find them, and we will destroy them! Leo, can you take Charles home, please?” Piper, after speaking, went to Paige’s side to view the list.

Leo took hold of Charles and orbed the two to his home, after being told of its location. As they appeared, Leo was very impressed! Charles was evidently quite successful, for his apartment, or penthouse, rather, was more than likely larger than the Manor. The apartment looked very modern in style – large glass windows allowed full sight of the city from many stories up. A large, metal, spiraling staircase led from the first floor to the second, the contents of which could not be seen to Leo. The walls were fairly plain, decorated sparsely by a painting here and there, which Leo found ironic, considering Charles lack of sight. Leo followed Charles for a moment, who walked through what looked like a small library, which lead into a kitchen and dining room.

“Can I offer you anything to drink, Leo?” Charles asked, opening the refrigerator doors and pulling out a carton of milk.

“No thank you. This is an amazing house!” Leo, who was gazing at a piece of art hanging from a wall by a large, ebony table, was taken by surprise at Charles question.

“Alright, suit yourself. Thank you, by the way. I know it’s a bit plain, but I don’t necessarily need too much flair in my home, you know? There are a few bits of artwork hanging around the house, books here and there. It isn’t much, but I try to keep it nice.” Charles poured himself a glass of milk and drank it up, having had quite a thirst as of late.

Leo approached the painting, and noticed that was, in fact, signed in the corner by a Charles Anderson. The painting was a portrait of two women, one of which held two children in her arms. Leo knew this must be Charles’ family, but the colors used showed his family in such bright, brilliant colors that Leo couldn’t feel sorrowful even if he tried. Turning, he saw that Charles was standing behind him, gazing through his dark red glasses at the art.

“You drew this?” Leo asked, stunned.

“Yes, a few of the paintings around my home are mine. As odd as it may be, they were all done after I lost my sight. I can’t explain how they were done, and I don’t know exactly what they look like, but I know they’re not terrible.” Charles, who had just finished his drink, commented on his art, and Leo was quite impressed.

“They’re very well done indeed! I don’t know quite what to say…” Leo paused for a moment, looking between Charles and the painting, which he did find exquisite. Long moments then passed, filling the darkened room with silence.

“Well, unfortunately, I must be on my way, Leo. I have a few things to get done before the sun rises. You are free to stay if you wish, take a look around, relax and such, but I need to do some work.” And with that, Charles stuck his milk glass in the sink, rinsed it out, and left the kitchen. Leo did not intend to stay, but he took one more look at the painting before returning home.

As he arrived in the Manor, he saw that little had changed in the attic. Phoebe studied the Book, Paige and Piper were evidently in quite a heated discussion as to whether two different demons were able to create or manipulate fire or flames. Leo did not want to be dragged into this conversation, so he suggested that he would make some sandwiches for the women to eat, and left as quickly as he could.

“Hey, hey! All right, enough arguing, I’m sick of hearing it! Both of you just calm down and shush for a moment, I think I have an idea of what’s happening.” As Phoebe shouted her words, the loud-speaking sisters were silenced and soon approached their kin. Phoebe turned the Book around on its pedestal to face the other two, who gazed down upon the open page with perplexed looks about them.

“This is my train of thought: Vengeance demons. Charles’ father and stepmother were killed in the fire he set, right? Well, Vengeance demons are well –known to seek vengeance on those who have slain them, commonly using the items or events of their deaths as tools or weapons. In this case, if I am correct, Charles’ father and stepmother were made into demons before their deaths, which may explain their changes in behavior towards Charles and Anastasia. And, when they were killed, somehow they were resurrected as these Vengeance demons, using the fire they were killed in to try and return the favor to Charles.” Phoebe explained her thought process as best and as quickly as she could, for she expected a volley of questions, for which she doubted she had the answers to.

“That does make sense, but it leaves a few gaps. How were they turned into demons to begin with? How were they resurrected after they were killed? And how did they blind Charles?” Paige, who did think Phoebe knew what she was talking about, was curious as to these gaps in her story.

“I don’t know, I haven’t figured those things out yet. But I am very confident that this is what we are up against.” Phoebe, proud of her conclusions, began to jot down some information about the Vengeance demons.

“Good thinking, Phoebe! Is there a potion or vanquishing spell we could use?” Paige asked, noticing Phoebe smiling slightly.

As Phoebe shared with Paige the information, Leo rushed up into the attic, holding in his hand the phone and a tray of sandwiches. He handed the phone to Piper, and set the sandwiches on a box near the sisters. He then stood next to Paige and Phoebe, gazing down upon the page in the Book and listening to what they had to say.

Piper took the phone in her hand and pushed it to her ear, turning her back to the sisters for the time being.

“Hello?” She asked, curious as to who would call at such an hour.

“Hello. Is this Piper? You sound very different on the phone than you do in person, I must say.” The voice on the other end was very familiar to Piper.

“Hello Charles, long time no see. I’m very glad you called – we found out some vital information about what may have… About your past.” Piper did not want to come right out and say they knew what had killed his family, for she both did not want to bring up the loss, and they were not positive about the demon finding.

“Oh, thank you so much! You gals are extremely efficient; it hasn’t been more than an hour or so! What did you three find out, might I ask?” As usual, Charles’ voice was as cheerful as ever.

“Hold on one moment, I’ll give you to the brains of the operation.” And with that, Piper handed the phone off to Phoebe, explaining to her who was on the phone and what was happening. Piper then grabbed herself a sandwich and approached Leo and Paige, to be filled in herself as to what was happening.

“Hi Charles. Are you doing okay?” Phoebe, blushing and smiling for absolutely no reason, forgot completely about her demon research.

“I am doing very well, thank you! I trust you are doing well, dear?” Charles asked.

“Yes, very well, thank you! You’re very kind you know that?” Phoebe, still smiling brightly, began to pace with the phone, her mind completely blank at this point.

Silence filled the phone line, and Charles wondered what happened to the conversation about demons. He had no problem with simple chit-chat, for he greatly enjoyed any company, but he was very curious as to what they had found.

“Umm… Piper tells me you may have found out something, as far as the demons go?” Charles broke the growing silence.

“Oh, heh, yes!” Phoebe laughed, running a hand down her face. She was acting so odd around Charles lately! Over the phone, she told Charles of her findings, of the Vengeance demons, and how they were going to work on a potion and vanquishing spell in the morning. She didn’t want to dismiss his problem, but being such an early hour, they were prone to mistakes, and were generally fatigued. Charles understood completely, and asked that they rest for the night and meet the next day. And after a bit of a side-conversation, the two hung up and went about their businesses.

Finally, the dark shroud Charles had been fighting off fell around him, shadowed him in sorrow. The smile he had forced to wear faded, and once again he returned to the mournful person he had always been, or at least had been since the accident happened. He was such a wonderful personality to be around during the day, but as the sun faded into night, the truth revealed itself to him, regardless of how he resisted.

The screams of his family, of his wife, sister and children, rang in his ears, just as loudly and vividly as they had the night they were murdered. He heard the fire crackling and roaring about him, felt the heat against his flesh, and he swore he just saw the flames once again. Charles flung his dark red glasses from his face and covered his eyes, but that did nothing to hide the past from view. He fell from the chair he sat upon down onto his knees and there, in the darkness of his lonely apartment, he cried.

[MechAngel]

Morning came slowly, so painfully slowly. Charles was unable to sleep, and spent the remainder of the night on the balcony overlooking the block. He knew the sun had begun to rise, for the earth told him so, and with that knowledge in his mind, he began to feel better about himself and his life. Somehow the light, regardless of whether he could see it or not, made him feel less horrible inside, gave his life an illusion of purpose. But, illusion or not, he forced himself to continue onward.

Charles’ hair blew lightly in a southward-bound autumn breeze as he watched over the city. He clenched the iron balcony guard as he looked about, smiling ever-so slightly as the city below revealed the presence of the beings within it. And Charles gladly listened, for it was nice to know that, no matter what horrible things happened in the world, it continued to function like a well-oiled machine.

Behind him Charles heard a knocking, and he was ripped from the voice of the city. Charles returned into his apartment and walked towards the door, hearing a second knock. Opening the door, Charles was surprised to find the Charmed sisters waiting patiently beyond the boarder. He gladly waved them inside, and they entered the dark domain cautiously.

“My apologies for the lack of light – one such as myself does not need light to see. There is a switch around here somewhere…” Charles felt around the walls a bit, but Phoebe flicked the light on just before Charles found the switch. “There, better?”

“Yes, much, thank you! How are you doing?” Phoebe asked, smiling.

“Umm… The night passed quickly, and the morning was as beautiful as ever. And what of you three? Sleep well?” Charles asked, trying to change the subject of his evening of sorrow.

“Yes, very well, thank you.” Phoebe answered before the other two could speak. However, the other two were no longer in the same room, having taken the opportunity to explore their surroundings.

What an oddly wonderful place to live, the two sister thought! The place was strangely modern, and yet had some classical appeal to it, partly due to a few decorations here and there. The two continued to look around, until they stumbled upon a small work of art on the wall – an exquisite piece, signed by Charles himself. They questioned the authenticity of the artwork, but were called to attention before they could come up with a conclusion.

“Can I get any of you gals anything to eat or drink?” Charles questioned, having already brought out a small plate of muffins.

The three turned down the offer, though they each took up a muffin to munch on for the time being.

“Well, now that we’re rested and ready to think, what shall we do about these Vengeance demons, hmm?” Charles, noticing that all three of the gals had taken a muffin of his, smiled a bit.


“Well, no new information has turned up. But I think I may have an idea to get us a it closer.” Paige chipped in, swallowing a bite of blueberry muffin before speaking.

“You do?” Piper asked, looking sideways to her sister.

“Well, we do live with a clairvoyant, Piper.” Paige pointed out, motioning to Phoebe.

“And I didn’t think of that, why? That’s great, Paige!” Phoebe, suddenly very excited for no reason, stood. “Yes, we can go back to the old home and see what we can—“

“Go back? Absolutely not!” Charles stood, his voice suddenly quite loud. This change in tone startled the gals, for by the looks, it seemed that anger did not come easily to Charles. “No, I will not go back there, and I refuse to let either of you three go!”

“Charles, I understand it may not be the best place to be, but being in the scene of the crime can give us a one-up on the Vengeance demons.” Paige added, trying to convince Charles.

“No, I can’t, I wont, and neither will you!” Anger flared about the room, made the air hard to breathe and the temperature change dramatically. But that all faded as yet another change came over Charles. “Please… You can’t take me back there! I don’t want to relive that… It will kill me…”

Again, the change in Charles mood and tone startled the girls, but they also seemed to feel the fear and pain that the blind one felt at the moment, and at that, they wondered if it was best to return to the murder scene. However, they knew how much help it would be to the case. Each considered the pros and cons, sitting in silence as long moments ticked by. Charles, trembling slightly, sat back in his chair, resting his head in his hands for a moment. Once again he remembered the screams, the inferno, and the sudden darkness…

“Get you stuff ready. We’re going to the site, whether I like it or not – anything that will bring us closer to killing those things that destroyed my family and my life is worth the insanity. We leave soon, for the journey is far.” Charles, making up his mind, stood and spoke his mind to the girls.

“I can orb us there, as long as you tell me where it is.” Paige spoke, approaching Charles, who still sat in the same heart-breaking position.

“The home doesn’t exist anymore, but the land remains void of construction for whatever reason. It’s a far distance away, but evidently orbing doesn’t exactly take time, so that will not be a problem. I say we leave while the sun is up – darkness will only make matters worse, believe me.” Charles pushed his frail form to a stand, pushing stray locks of hair out of his face.

“Right, well, if we’re all ready, lets go.” Paige took hold of Charles, Charles extended his arm, which was quickly snatched up by Phoebe, and Piper joined the trio. Blue light surrounded the four, and in an instant they were gone.

[MechAngel]

The four stood in awe and wonder as a beautiful, two-story complex stood before them, shining brightly and invitingly in the warm morning sun. The sisters looked between each other in disbelief, for surely this could not be the same place that an entire family was horribly slain. But, regardless of its beauty, Charles took a step backwards, hearing the agonizing screaming as clearly as ever, and felt the heat of the blaze against his skin. He smelled the ash and smoke, and could, in fact, feel the exact moment that the fire destroyed his family. He fell to his knee, hugging himself tightly.

Phoebe saw this and turned, kneeling by his side. She extended a hand, placed in on his shoulder and tried to help him to his feet. But at that exact moment, Phoebe saw through Charles eyes the entire night in question. She saw the wife, bound and burned, his sister and the children, invisible in the bright, hungry flames. And there, watching from above, were two forms that would haunt the sister for an eternity – two bodies, evidently burnt to death, but quite alive. One was a man, and one a woman, and both took considerable pleasure in what they were fabricating.

The flashback ended, and Phoebe found that she was sweating, and the edges of her shirt were scorched. Immediately she began to weep, and Piper held her close, trying her best to calm her sister. This would have been enough to handle, but behind them, the house which once stood beautifully atop a small hill was now engulfed in flames, and the sun which once ruled the sky was now gone, replaced by clouds of smoke. This was the house Charles once knew, and this was the house Charles had tried to run from, whether it took a year or eternity.

“Welcome to the house of my past. Welcome to the house of my death.” Charles, who had been deathly silent since they had arrived, spoke his words. “Phoebe saw what I had seen years ago – luckily she did not receive the entire night, or she, too, would suffer what I do. But now, due to some force or extreme power, you all will experience exactly what I have. I know not why this happened, but I know that this is real, and whatever lies within those walls will change everything.”

“Oh my God… So it is happening, in there, right now?” Paige asked, still holding her hysterical sister.

“Not yet. It will.” Charles answered. “Look, I have come this far, and I am not going to allow this to happen again. I am going in there, and I am going to save my family. But if you three try to follow me, God have mercy…” And, with that being said, Charles stood and made his way up the stone pathway towards the hellfire.

“What, are you mad?!” Paige yelled, running to stop the man. “You can’t go in there Charles, don’t you see that it will kill you, and I mean literally. The place is burning, and who knows if and when it will collapse.”

“Paige is right, Charles. I don’t care what I saw and what you’ve experienced, it is not worth running to your death—“

“Isn’t it?!” Charles rage flares up once again, and behind them the fire stretched further towards the sky, fueled by the anger in the air. “One of two outcomes can come of this situation: One, I destroy those demons that killed my family. Or two, they destroy me, and reunite me, send me where my family is waiting for me.”

“Y-you want to die?” Phoebe asked, tears once again welling up in her eyes.

“Well, wouldn’t you if everything important, everything in your life that was good and made sense, everything you’ve worked your entire existence to protect, was suddenly burned to death in front of your very eyes, taken away from you in such a horrifying way! You cannot tell me you can simply move on with your life, Phoebe! You can’t tell me that you wouldn’t wish for defeat every night until it came, and brought you close to what has been taken from you!”

Despite Charles tone, Phoebe tried to convince him otherwise. “ No, I would not be able to live life the same, but you can’t simply accept defeat. You can’t look me in the eye and tell me that you would simply allow those things to kill your family without revenge! I don’t care how hopeless your life may seem now, your wife, sister and kids are counting on you to vanquish those things! If they see that you simply going to give up on their last request simply because it was too hard…”

Silence filled the air, broken only by the lapping flames in the distance. Phoebe stared into those dark glasses, and Charles looked directly into Phoebe’s eyes. And for a moment, for even the briefest instant, Charles felt as though he had a purpose. He knew Phoebe was right – he had one mission in life, and that was to get rid of those devils once and for all, to avenge the innocent. Phoebe knew that the change occurred in Charles mind, and she let the fact set in before breaking that terrible silence.

“We’re going in there together, and we’re going to save your family, Charles. Even you cannot deny that we are more powerful together than separate.” Paige chimed in, stepping close to the duo.

“Look, we’re running out of time. Lets do what we need to and get out of here before something terrible happens… Again.” Piper added.

Charles simply nodded. Together they walked up the long, winding pathway to the ever-burning home, two of them wondering what they were going to see, two of them ever fearful at what they had seen. As they came closer, the heat of the inferno was almost unbearable, but they stayed mobile, for their will was far stronger than the fire or the fear.

Something powerful surrounded the group, powerful enough to push back the heat of the fire, to keep the group alive, and each member of the group knew from where the power came from. The front door opened, and into the house they moved, untouched by the fire or smoke. They moved slowly and cautiously around, but it did not take long to stumble upon the scene they all feared, several moments before it was about to take place.

There, hovering above the restrained Charles of old, were two horribly burned remnants of people, watching the fire around them, controlling it to their will. But as they saw the group, they shrieked and awe. They crawled down the wall with their hands and feet, like hellish insects, and stood before the group, smoldering and ever-burning.

“Charles” They called out, and the man stepped forward.

“You let them go, you let my family go!!” Charles shouted, and a surge of energy sent flames reeling away from the group temporarily, as if blown my some mystical wind.

“No, dear boy,” they howled in unison, twitching here and there like they psychotic fiends they were. “You owe it to us! You made us the way we are, and we will do our best to return the favor!”

Just then, the words and horrible voices hit Charles. Dear boy, ‘made us the way we are’… It couldn’t be!

“No…” Charles gasped. “No, you can’t be.”

“Yes, boy. That’s right; let the horrible details sink in deep. How ironic, hmm? Destroy your parents by fire, and have the same happen to your family!” The duo cackled and howled, and as they did, the fire around them whipped and whirled maniacally.

“No… You will NOT hurt my family, do you hear me!” Charles yelled out.

From out of nowhere, a blast sent one of the beings flying through the dark air into the inferno. Piper tried her best to blow the other into dust, but it nimbly dodged, and laughed. The other, evidently the man, returned quickly, and joined in laughing.

“Worth a try,” Piper commented.

“Well, Charles. You are just in time to see your family burn again! What a show! Oh wait a moment; you can’t see anything can you, dear boy? Oh that’s too bad… Well, listen closely then.”

The flames inside the house suddenly grew in intensity, and a woman began to scream from somewhere unseen in their current position. This sent Charles off the edge, tumbling madly into some dark depths of his mind. Something snapped within him, and Charles, raising his eyes from the floor, Let out an incredible scream.

Flames around them died – they yelled out in hellish pain, flickered, and withered – and the area around them exploded, sending the two demons flying once again through the air into what fire remained. They returned, but not nearly as quickly, and it seemed that they were, in fact, quite injured by this explosion.

“What did you do, boy?” One of the two yelled, raising its burnt hand into the sky, igniting more flames to replace the old.

Charles then saw something completely different. It was a memory of his, one of the few fond memories he kept close to his heart. He stood by the edge of a lake, the moon shining so brightly in the sky that it illuminated the entire area. To his right stood his beautiful, and quite pregnant wife, and to his left stood his beautiful sister. The night was cool, and a breeze had begun to pick up, but that did not stop the moment from occurring. The three stood in perfect silence, but words were not needed, only emotions, which were communicated quite clearly between them. It was peaceful, serene, and gone in an instant.

But as Charles opened his eyes seconds later, he felt, despite the chaos and flames, wonderful. This was his chance to set things straight, his change to bring his family back to life, and to, once and for all, rid himself of his past. Charles removed his glasses and stared with glossy white eyes at the two beings.

“Good bye, Stepmother and Father.”

And with that he ended it; he ended everything: all of the pain he had suffered throughout the years, all of the misery that haunted his every move, all of the nightmares he was forced to deal with daily, and all of the lonely moments of his existence were gone. Instead, such wonderful peace flooded his mind and body – it felt as though he was flying through an oblivion of warmth, safety, and love. All of the turmoil in his life was replaced by this inner peace, which completely obliterated any sorrow he had ever felt. He smiled, for he knew that it was all over, and he could finally be free.

[[At this point, there are two endings. Read which ever you wish first, or both of them, but decide for yourself how you wish the story ends.]]

[MechAngel]

ENDING ONE

Charles threw himself forward, headlong into the inferno. The fiends turned to grab him, but as their remaining fingers brushed against his flesh they simply turned to dust. This did not stop them, however, for they charged into the flames after Charles. But Charles stopped, turned towards the beings, and spoke.

“You release my family, and you may have me. You may do what you wish to me for as long as you wish, for I have been through hell time and time again, and you can do no worse. But if you refuse to accept this, I will send both of us straight to hell – I have the power, and I know you can feel that.”

For long moments the two beings gawked and stared at each other, trying to come to a conclusion. And out of the blue, the jumped forward, grasping the man by the shoulders, and threw him to the ground.

“We’re going to enjoy this all too much!” They howled, grappling him with their horrible appendages. The flames came closer to the man, ignoring their surroundings, hungry only for his flesh. Slowly the man was consumed, until he could be seen no longer, until the inferno surrounded him completely. It burned for long moments until the flames died down, and nothing but ashes and blood remained.

The house around them began to regenerate, like a quick-healing human. Burn marks faded, boards mended, furniture repaired itself, and all was well within the confines. Two women, who were bound to the wall of what looked like a living room, had passed out long ago, and were now dead weight against their restraints. Two children, imprisoned underneath an over-turned crib, were unconscious as well. But both parties were untouched, unharmed. Quickly the Charmed sisters rushed to aid them.

Long moments passed as the sisters, Alyssa, Anastasia, and the twins gazed down at the one spot in the home that was not repaired – a large, dark spot in the ground, moist with fresh blood and dashed with cinders. Nobody quite understood what had happened to Charles, but they knew that, because of his sacrifice, his family lived one more. And, despite their loss, they knew that the death of Charles meant he was waiting for them in heaven, watching down upon them with all-seeing eyes, a warm smile and a loving touch. Nothing would ever happen to the family ever again.

However, that could not be farther from the truth.

Charles remained in that fiery inferno, flames eating away at his flesh, muscle, bone and blood. And when he was sure that death would set him free, he was allowed to heal, and the tormenting would begin again. He was not alone, however; he was with family – his dear Stepmother, and his Father, who hardly left his side for the rest of eternity.

THE END

[MechAngel]

ENDING TWO

A light unlike any other flared around the form of Charles. It spread like liquid, quickly covering the surfaces in a short vicinity, extinguishing flames and repairing damage. This light continued to spread until it stopped, battling against some unknown force. This force, as it turned out, was created by the two demons.

“You think you will undo time that easily, boy? You think a smidge of hocus-pocus can set things straight, bring your family back to you? Oh no, no you cannot simply make things right. You will suffer, watch your loved ones die!!” They yelled to him, forcing flames to push back the light.

But Charles was reminded of that memory, or the sweet voices of his wife, sister and children, and the light continued to spread, effortlessly turning flame to nothingness, and destruction to beauty.

“You do this, Charles, and it will be the end of you – I can smell it! You know it, don’t you!” The two, trying their best to rekindle the flames, pressed upon the man. But he seemed untouched by the harsh words – in fact, it seemed that he was concentrating to hard on those sweet memories that he did not pay heed to the words.

“Yes, I may not survive. But it is my family I cherish, not my own life. I will set them free, and then I will be free.” Charles voice, so calm and soft, was just as wonderful as the light, which kept spreading.

Suddenly, two great wings burst forth from Charles’ back – incorporeal, but existent, seemingly made of the light Charles created. And in that instant, light enveloped everything in the house, instantaneously extinguishing flames, and completely repairing the home around them. The only spot that was untouched was a small area which contained the demonic parents, who were evidently blinded by such intense light.

“I have kept you alive for one reason and one reason only – God’s wrath is just so much worse. He will do the punishing, not me. But allow me to send you to your Judge!” The small area around the parents closed in, and they vanished.

The light then died, illuminated only by the sweet morning sun beaming brightly through the windows. On the wall, hanging by their hands and feet, were two bound women, and to their sides, lying underneath an overturned crib were the twins. The bounds that restrained the women turned to ash, and they fell to their feet, having awoken just moments before their short fall. They staggered and gazed about, wondering what happened exactly. The cage, which imprisoned the children, turned and was set upright, and the children, hovering by some unknown means, were laid gently on the soft, blanketed surface of the ground.

Charles fell to his knees, to weak to even speak or breathe. But as he blinked, his vision slowly began to return, as did the coloring of his eyes. He knew that time was running short for him – he had but moments. He turned around and looked towards the Charmed sisters, who were gazing wide-eyed in astonishment, and spoke, his voice so much different, so much more wonderful than ever before.

“Thank you, and blessed be.”

He then turned his view towards his wife, sister, and children, and smiled, a tear streaking down his white cheek. He knew he could not live his life with them, could not return to the beautiful days before their deaths. But he knew that they were safe, and he knew that he had given them a chance to live the lives they were given, live the lives that were so horrible ripped away from them. And despite the fact that he would not be with them in body, he knew where he was going, and he knew that he would never truly leave them. – his soul would remain with them forever, until they joined him in the kingdom of Heaven.

“Good bye, my love.” He whispered, to both his wife and sister, and to his two blessed children.

And with his words said, he vanished: light surrounded him and separated his soul from his body. His body vanished, and two great wings carried his soul upward. The light disappeared, and the only sound being heard was the joyful chirping of birds outside the windows.

Charles family, his wife, sister and two children, live happily together now – together they remained, a family once more. A small, quaint home was built on the edge of a lake that was well known to both Charles and the women. They raised the twins well, taught them of they ways of magic (magic was not known to Alyssa or Anastasia, but was welcomed into their lives after Charles’ passing), and taught them of their father, and the miracle he made happen. They know Charles watches down upon them, guards them from the harshness of the world, provides for them, and loves them in any way he can.

THE END

[hollypop]

MechAngel~

Your story flowed so well and again, the visuals were in my head like I was watching a movie. As I was reading, I noticed that it really wasn't focused on the sisters' as much as it was focused on the human heart, eternal love and Faith.

Yes, I read both endings but I liked the second one better. Now my words might make more sense- lol

I don't know if you meant if to be a spiritual type of story, but for me, it was. It's not the kind of story that a person can describe in words.... it's more like the kind of story that can only be described with emotions... if that makes any sense.

It's a good story... don't stop writing

[+disenchant zero+]

Again i loved it. I preferd the first ending. i know it seems kind of morbid but i think it was a nice ending although the second one was just as great i really enjoyed the whole story. the first ending just put a nice twist on it....Thank you for sharing you gift with us again. please keep up the good work i look forward to the next one ;D

[MechAngel]

Thank you so much, both of you, for being so supportive of my story! I am so glad that you two enjoyed it, and for once, i am proud of something i have written -- i will continue to try my best to improve and hone my writing skills, but this will suffice for now! It may be a little while until the next story, for i have no inspiration nor ideas at the moment, but hopefully both will come in due time!

Anyway, thanks for reading my story, and i hope to see and write more good ones in the future!

~MechAngel

[Jamison]

nicely done kevin!!!!!!!!