Disclaimer: All rights for Charmed and the Halliwells go to the WB, as well as Aaron Spelling and Brad Kern. This story is a spin-off of the original Charmed series, categorized under fan fiction, and is not intended to imply any personal knowledge, or the actual sexuality of any of its celebrities.
This story is obviously fiction. This story will also involve sexual and intimate relationships between two (or more) males, and if this offends you or it is illegal for you to be reading, then please leave. If you are under the age of consent for your community, please leave. And if it does offend you, I honestly don't know why you're even here in the first place.
Like Ice for Chocolate
Kane punched his fist into the podium. "Dammit! Just- graaah!"
"Oh, so YOU'RE angry?! You lost five darklighters, and you're angry?! I lost twenty-three demonatrixes, twelve harpies, and eight vampires. And none of your plans worked! None of them!" Amy screamed. She looked to Ipos, whom looked sheepish. "And you! You should've predicted this would happen!"
Ipos now narrowed his eyes. "We predict the most likely future. And we cannot accurately predict betrayal." He exchanged glances with Postverta. "We reviewed the past. Lex Russel's escape was aided by none other than the-"
"The Dragon Warlock. Yeah, I figured." Kane said, deflated and mortified. He looked at several other members of the council. "...I want him dead."
"Then you will have to contend with me." a deep female voice reverberated in response. "I will take care of him in due time. But I will not have any one of my family hunted down like an animal, even if he is a traitor."
Kane slumped slightly, obviously feeling a little bit castrated. Barbatos cleared his throat at the silence, and addressed the brooding Gloom. "Did the torture yield to any results?"
Gloom remained quiet, menacing red lights flickering on and off under his hood. Ipos, across from him, answered in his stead. "Lex Russel is frail. He has many weaknesses, most notably that of compassion towards demons." Amy gave a small vicious laugh before Ipos continued the report. "One of his sisters, Lucille Russel, dislikes her life as a witch and despises situations of intense action. Lex Russel harbors resentment towards his other sister, Lyla Russel, and turbulence with their whitelighter. It was unknown why."
Amy clicked her tongue, speaking up again. "Okay, enough bullshit. I'm gonna do this the old-fashioned way."
"Ha." Barbatos gave a pompous laugh, and Amy glared at him. "You mean attack like a blind fox. You are quite good at that, aren't you."
"...Oh, I'm sorry. Maybe I should make a long-ass complicated plan that takes months to prepare and ends up killing fifty of our demons. Since that worked out so well." Barbatos shut up, and Kane sunk lower. Amy flipped her hair. "...Okay. So maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to just all-out attack."
Kane sighed, pulling his hair back. "I'm tired. Why don't we just take it easy for a little while."
Amy glared at him. "Stop whining! You're just saying that `cos your plans screwed up so badly." she quieted down a little, staring at the shadowy ground. "Even though I think I could use a break too."
There was a series of acknowledging noises all around the Twilight Citadel. Amy looked around, as though to make sure no one was looking. "...Alright. I got a couple more connections. I don't know if they'll go directly after the Charmed Ones, but they'll at least wreak some havoc, I know."
"So will we have a break?" Kane asked, almost pitifully.
"Yes. Now please. Please, please. Shut up." Amy said, spitefully. She blew a raspberry to herself. "I think we could all use a vacation."
"Can't Take It In"
By Imogen Heap
Can't close my eyes... I'm wide awake
Every hair on my body... has got a thing for this place
Oh empty my heart, I've got to make room for this feeling...so much bigger than me
It couldn't be any more beautiful... I Can't Take It In
Weightless in love... unraveling
For all that's to come... and all that's ever been
We're back to the board, with every shade under the sun... let's make it a good one
Lucy slammed the manor door behind her. "Hello?" No answer. She unraveled her scarf and took off her overcoat, carelessly flinging them into the closet. She gave a long sigh. Her breath escaped as vapor she could see in the brisk cold air. "Anyone home?" she yelled up the stairs.
Sounds descended from the upstairs, and trudged to the living room where Lucy was getting comfortable. Aaron, an incongruent vision of temperature dressed in a t-shirt, waved to Lucy as he sat down in the couch across from her. "Sorry. I was reading the book."
"Aren't you cold in that?" Lucy asked, motioning to his shirt.
Aaron laughed. "I haven't felt cold since I was alive."
Lucy rolled her eyes. "I keep forgetting you're basically just a hot zombie." Aaron settled in more, and Lucy looked over at his face: stone-cold serious. "You haven't been looking so good lately."
Aaron gave a solemn nod. "I know." he ran his hands through his short platinum-blonde hair. "...This has never happened before. I've never had this problem."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that I've never... hurt one of my charges so much. I've never fallen for someone and then broken their heart over and over again. I'm supposed to be here to protect, and I haven't done my job." Aaron looked up. "... I don't even know why they haven't reassigned me."
Lucy reached over to pat his knee. "...I told you before, don't worry about Lex."
"No, Lucy, you don't understand. I tortured him. I really and honestly hurt him, more than any demon could have." Lucy's mouth flattened to a sharp line. "I have to make this right..."
"You can't help Lex without hurting Lyla." Aaron paused. Lucy continued. "You remember the last time Lyla had a fit over you."
Memories of the vampire incident suddenly flashed back, and Aaron sunk lower into his seat. That was the first time he had hurt Lex. Aaron looked helpless. "...Then what do I do?"
Lucy shrugged. "I love both my brother and my sister, and I care about you too, Aaron. You decide." she grunted and buried her face in her hands.
Aaron reached over and rubbed Lucy on the shoulder. "You've been tired."
Lucy nodded, her speech muffled. "Yes. It's true."
Aaron paused. "You're tired of all of this, aren't you." Lucy didn't respond. "The battles, the pain, all of it. Do you want to talk about it?"
"..." Lucy sighed. "I was- I was thinking of Kincaid, actually."
"What do you mean?" there was a touch of bitterness in his voice.
"He's a witch. Barely older than me. Got his whole life ahead of him. But he doesn't have to do all the fighting we do. He doesn't have to see the death we do, or-or experience the hurt we do. And when I think about that, I just get... frustrated." she looked into Aaron's eyes, as if he knew the answer. "Why do WE have to do all the dirty work? Why do only OUR lives have to be ruined? It's unfair, it's wrong, and- I don't understand." Lucy swallowed. "...And then, you look at the other end. At any given moment, without any forewarning, bam!" Lucy clapped her hands to emphasize her point. "-there could be a demon attack. And he could die. This is... this is a guy who's my age. And no matter what he does, he's in danger. It's... scary."
Aaron nodded. His voice plummeted to a whisper. "Lucy. I want you to listen to me." she complied. "There are so many people out there who know exactly how you feel. In war, in violence, forever in fear. But I'll tell you one thing. We're not allowed to be their whitelighters." Lucy's eyes widened with some terror. "...We're only allowed to guard those with powers, or those who'll become whitelighters, or-or- good people.'" He sighed. "THAT's what is unfair. You tell me. Is it fair that I can guard witches and teachers and parole officers, but... I can't guard a child who's about to be killed by a falling bombshell. Or a young man bleeding to death from gang violence. Because the Elders don't see them as good people.'" Lucy was deathly silent. Aaron bit his lip. "...There are so many things I wish I could change. And Lucy, it may seem like things are unfair, because usually they are. The sad truth is that the evil witches can't fight is created by man, not demon. So it shouldn't be unfair. But it is. So please... for now... just feel lucky. I won't let you down. "
Lucy felt grim in the cold. She gazed deeply at Aaron, whom was lost in some thought. "If it's all so unfair, then why bother at all?"
"Because whenever there's injustice, there's always a reason to fight. There is... there is beauty in every thing. I always tell myself that, and that is why I keep fighting. So maybe, in a sense, that means that every thing is good and every thing is evil. And I fight for the good in every thing."
Suddenly, the cold wasn't so deathly. Lucy gave a small smile. "So. Maybe the world is a little more beautiful than I thought."
Aaron nodded, not saying any more.
"...Will you be okay?" Lucy asked.
"I don't know." Aaron shook his head. "Not until Lex is."
Something caught Lucy's attention. She dismissed it as a trick of the light, but with enough curious thought she diverted her attention to the outside window. Something bright winked back at her, manifested in confetti light. Lucy gave a silent gasp, slowly getting up from her place and stepping towards the window. "Oh my God." she placed her hand on the window, and the foggy glass felt like a slab of ice.
They started falling in miniature waves, a tiny army of toy colors. Then they multiplied, bigger and bigger into a blooming flurry. The flakes danced from the grey sky, falling at the gentle whims of wind and gravity. Lucy laughed and giggled, wiping the window further so she could see.
"My God! Aaron, it's snowing!"
Lex held his hand out, feeling the tiny shards of cold stinging his palm. He rubbed them together and pulled his scarf further up to cover his face. Lyla finally came out of the shop, holding a brown grocery bag filled with herbs. She smiled, her fashionable pink winter gear standing out from the rest of the crowd. "Can you believe it?"
"I don't remember the weather man saying anything about it."
Lyla pouted. "Aww, Lex, what's wrong? It hasn't snowed in San Francisco for decades, I would be excited." They began to walk down the street to the parking lot, and Lex took Lyla's bag for her.
Lex shrugged. "I guess so." He huddled in his jacket more. "The cold stings though."
"You don't have to be so pessimistic. I think it's pretty."
Lex didn't say anything, simply staring up at the grey sky instead. Snowflake after snowflake landed on his cheeks, and each felt uncomfortably cold. Lex could feel (or perhaps imagine) the crystals tingling on his skin, like frozen vales of the salt of tears.
He jumped a little as Lyla put an arm around him. "Hey, guy. Relax. You've been really on edge lately. It's the holidays! Have some cheer!"
Lex gave a small smile. "I guess so."
"What do want for this season, anyway?"
"Umm..." Lex putzed around in his mind, wondering what to say. "...I'm thinking." Lex looked around, at the falling white. Lyla gave a curious noise, and Lex answered. "I want snow."
Lyla laughed. "What do you mean, sweetie?"
Lex smiled. "Something pretty, fragile, something like teardrops, or prisms, or-" Lyla seemed clueless. "Never mind."
"Well as for me, I want something fun."
"I'll try and keep that in mind."
They reached Lyla's car, and placed the bag in the trunk. Lyla got into the driver's seat, and Lex in the passenger. The snow wasn't heavy enough to obscure the windshield, but Lyla did have to leave the heating on long enough to defog the glass. Lyla gave a long sigh, and her breath fogged a little bit of her window up again. "I really hope no demons attack. That'd ruin it."
"Yeah. I guess."
Lyla gave Lex a funny look before she pulled the car out. The road was just the slightest bit slippery, and the hilly streets were crowded with spectators. The sidewalks were now blanketed with white, and some buildings wore bright crowns of ice. "Y'know, Lex, I'm your older sister. You can talk to me about anything."
Not about this, Lex wanted to say. But he bit his tongue. "...Sure."
"So is there anything wrong?"
"No."
Lyla shook her head. "Of course not."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Lyla clicked her tongue. "It means that something is wrong. We've all noticed, Lex. Don't you wanna talk about it?"
"No, Lyla, no- it's complicated." Lex shook his head, averting his eyes. He could picture the concern on her face well enough. "I'm sorry."
"Well, fine then." Lyla looked over her shoulder to turn, and briefly slowed down as they descended the slope. "But if there's anything you need, feel free to ask."
Lex chose silence instead of an unwarranted snappy comeback. He put a hand to the window, and traced the shape of a heart with his pinky in the foggy glass. He stared at it for a little while, and watched the dancing children on the sidewalk through the clear parts he carved out. Lex had trouble smiling as he wiped the heart away.
"Did you see it?" Lucy asked eagerly, rubbing her hands together in the cold. Lyla stepped in first, and Lex followed, the groceries in hand.
Lyla nodded happily, giving a small twirl as she entered the lobby. "It was gor-GESS!" Aaron meandered in, and Lyla landed in his arms. He gave a surprised expression before pushing her to her feet again. Lex quickly walked into the kitchen, avoiding basic eye contact altogether.
Aaron helplessly stared after him, and Lucy cleared her throat, calling Lyla closer. "Ly. Did he say anything?"
"Nope." Lyla said, desperate. "It was ridiculous, he's shut like a clam. I mean, how could he be sad? It's the holidays, and it's snowing for crying out loud!"
Lucy furrowed her eyebrows. "Hey, that reminds me. Now that we're witches, do we celebrate Christmas?"
There was an awkward silence as Lyla and Lucy exchanged glances. They looked at Aaron, who bit his lip. "Well." Aaron continued. "I mean, you know... a lot of Buddhists celebrate Christmas anyway, just to give gifts and to spread joy, love and whatnot."
Lucy nodded. "Huh. I guess that's true."
"Anyway." Lyla interjected. "I really don't know why he's so broken up." Both Lucy and Aaron averted their eyes in the shame of knowledge. Lyla sighed. "So, what did the weatherman say about the snow?"
"Dunno." Lucy responded. She walked over to the TV set, and switched it on. The picture flickered and Lucy changed it to channel 4.
A lanky man in a cheap suit passed his hands over the green screen, and his televised voice reverberated into the living room. "-the first time it's snowed in San Francisco for decades! However, the snow is only centralized over the city and halfway over the bay. Expect to see temperatures in the low to mid thirties out there. Our chief meteorologist is unsure as to how long the snow will last, but-"
Lucy turned to Lyla. "Well. It's nothing we don't already know."
Lyla shushed her. Lucy raised an eyebrow before turning her attention to the TV screen again. The anchor was on, a serious look on her face. "Thanks, Tom. But not everyone is out there enjoying the snow. In fact, the ice proved to be dangerous no more than an hour ago, when an area man was found dead in his apartment, apparently frozen solid. Authorities have not yet disclosed his identity or the details of his death, and-"
"Frozen solid?" Lyla asked, with some skepticism.
Aaron cleared his throat. "I'm getting called by the Elders. I think it's important."
"Alright. Go on." Lyla shooed Aaron. Aaron orbed away, and the noise of the orbs seemed to draw Lex from the kitchen. Lyla smiled at him. "Hey. How are you?"
Lex looked expressionless. "Fine. I'm just... just a little bit tired."
Lucy got up from her place. "Do you wanna help me make some cookies?"
"Ah-" Lex smiled briefly. "...actually, I think I'm gonna go for a walk."
"I'll go with you." Lyla said, starting to the door.
"I'd kinda like to go alone." Lyla stopped, turning to look at Lex. Lex sidled his feet back and forth. "I-I'll bring potions. And crystals too, maybe. I just really wanna go out on my own."
"Lex. After that fiasco we went through last time, the Seven could attack at any time. It's just not safe, you could-"
"I'll be fine. I promise."
Lyla sighed. She exchanged a helpless glance with Lucy in the corner before throwing her hands up in defeat. "Just be back soon."
Lex nodded. He quickly grabbed another scarf from the closet and wrapped it around his mouth. He snatched a couple of potions by the front door, and reached into a nearby cardboard box, procuring some deep-red stones before going out. Lucy called Lyla's attention. "So. Do YOU wanna help me make cookies?"
"Sure. Why not."
Lex was out for further than he thought he would be. It was just about twilight, and the electric lights of houses and shops just began to flicker on. Christmas decorations twinkled from dark windows and brilliant peaks, blinking in contrast with car lights and white snow. The snowflakes fell steady, no harsher but no calmer, almost a constant downpour.
Eventually, Lex found himself thinking to himself, asking himself questions he had never thought of before; pondering a number of things from his sisters to Aaron to witchcraft. Yet somehow, nothing seemed to stick in his mind. Nothing was worth thinking about anymore. No matter what he tried to contemplate, the thoughts would melt away like the delicate snow on his fingertips.
Then he wondered when the last time was when he was happy. Lex stopped in his tracks briefly. People passed him left and right, hauling shopping bags or heavy snow gear. The things he had experienced at the hands of the Creeper Demons still haunted him: the agony, the sorrow, the feeling of invasion. That had only made things worse. His sisters didn't even ask what happened. Kincaid just smiled, kept saying "welcome back." And Aaron- Aaron had tried to help. Lex could not blame him. But he was more lethal to him now than any demon was. So when was he last happy?
Lex sniffled. He knew the answer already.
He didn't realize it, but Lex was out for hours. After walking down a particularly crowded shopping street, he stopped. Flashing red and blue lights shone around the corner, indicative of the police. There were two cars and an ambulance out front of an apartment complex, and some people were starting to gather. A single police officer diverted their attention while paramedics carted a body covered with a sheet.
Lex wove his way to the crowd. He couldn't make his way to the front, so he turned to his right and tapped an elderly woman with raven black hair on the shoulder. "Excuse me, miss? Do you know what happened?"
The woman looked up from the scene. Lex got a better look at her eyes, slightly yellow with jaundice but a handsome shade of black and beautifully slanted. Her complexion was weathered. Her hair was braided and draped over one shoulder. Whoever she was, she had aged well. She pointed at the body being carted away. "That young man. He died from the snow. The third one today."
"That's... not natural."
"You'd be surprised. Young, old, beautiful or not... the cold takes no mercy."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Lex bit his lip, pulling his scarf further up his face against the stinging snowflakes. He turned to her again. "Have you ever seen it snow here before?"
"Oh, yes. Quite a few times. I've seen snow in a number of places." she gave a grim look. "It heralds death to those deserving of it."
Lex gave a skeptical face. "Who deserves death? I mean, I don't think anyone can judge if the three guys you said died today deserved it."
"They had it coming." The old woman mumbled.
Lex turned to her, his mouth agape. "Pardon?"
The old woman smiled at him. "You would agree."
Lex shook his head with some confusion. He turned to get a better look at her. "Miss, I don't think that-"
"Don't tell me that you don't know them, and don't tell me you haven't thought about it."
Lex paused. He opened his mouth, but had trouble forming his lips around the words. "A-about what?"
The old woman gave a more sly grin, and her obsidian eyes narrowed further. "Snow would be a fitting end. Wouldn't you agree?" She turned and blended into the crowd.
"What?" Lex tried to follow her, but was blocked by the gathering people. "Hey! Wait!" He broke through, but by the time he had reached the road she had vanished into the snow.
Lyla sat crouched on the couch, eyes fixated on the TV screen. Lucy came in from the kitchen. "The last batch is done."
"Luce. Check it out."
Lucy sat down next to her. A newscaster with a microphone stood out in the snowy streets, earmuffs and all. She was pointing to a building behind her. "This is now the fourth death today, all of which were linked to exposure to the cold. Coroners have not found murder to be a likely cause of death, but authorities are still trying to discover if the four are related in any way. These deaths are particularly unusual due to the fact that all the victims have been males in their early to mid 20's with no signs of illness: not the typical demographic to succumb to hypothermia. We advise anyone watching to keep your windows shut and heating on, and-"
"What do you think?" Lyla asked.
Lucy reached into her pocket, pulling out her cell phone. "Just a sec." She pressed one of the speed-dial buttons and lifted it to her ear. One ring. Two rings. Lucy heard a voice on the other end. "Hello? Lex?" Lucy asked.
Lex breathed into his hands, walking a little quicker. "Yeah. Sorry, Luce. I'm coming home right now."
"Oh, thank goodness." Lucy sighed. She pulled her hair out of her face. "Lex, we were watching the news. Four people have died from the cold. Lyla and I think it might be magical."
"I was about to say that too." Lex looked over his shoulders. It was getting a touch dark now, and the city lights illuminated the streets. The snow still fell in consistent sheets. "I'll explain it when I get back."
"Alright. Stay safe." Lucy flicked her phone shut and looked to Lyla. "He said he's coming home."
Lyla nodded. "Do you think we should try calling Aaron?"
"There won't be any need to."
Lucy had opened her mouth to speak, but it wasn't her who said anything. She turned around to the kitchen, and smiled when she saw Mikey in the doorway. Despite the cold, he was still dressed in the same black suit as before. Lyla stood up in surprise, but sat down when she recognized who it was.
Mikey cleared his throat. "Sorry. I'll be a little less discreet next time." He walked over to where the girls were sitting, and Lucy cleared a spot for him next to herself. "But as I was saying. your whitelighter should be back any minute now."
"How would you know?" Lyla disputed. She shut her mouth as there was a sound of orbs. Mikey rolled his eyes and grinned.
Aaron materialized in front of the TV, a little bit confused to see Mikey on the couch. He turned to Lyla and Lucy. "Oh, good. Where's Lex?"
"He's coming soon." Lucy answered. Aaron looked worried, but Lucy tried to reassure him with her eyes.
Mikey crossed his arms. "So the reason why I'm here is to convey a message from the Nightshade Guardians." he looked to Aaron. "...And I have a feeling it's the same message that your whitelighter has."
Aaron raised an eyebrow. "Does it have to do with the snowstorm?"
Mikey nodded. He gave a sweeping motion with his hands. "You can go first, if you want. I'll fill in the blanks."
"You girls have probably heard that four people have died so far. The Elders called in all the whitelighters in the San Francisco area. The second one that died was a charge of one of our-" Suddenly, the door slammed open. Lex had walked in, and was unraveling his scarf as he shut the door behind him. He gave a cursory glance to Aaron before joining Lucy on the other side of the couch. Aaron was struck speechless.
Lyla cocked her head at Aaron's silence. "So... If only one of them was protected by a whitelighter, then it wasn't demons that killed them."
Aaron shook his head to regain his footing. "Well, the other three that died had no connection to magic whatsoever. We think that the fact the second one had a whitelighter was purely coincidental."
Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Then what does that tell us?"
"That specifically? Nothing. However, the fact that a charge was killed made the Elders investigate a little more." Aaron began to look a little more serious. "... Obviously, it's not normal for young, healthy people to freeze to death just because it's snowing. Especially four in one day. And besides, the charge's whitelighter didn't receive any calls for help before the charge was killed, so the job must've been pretty quick. We've ruled out humans, and we think the cause is demonic." Aaron looked over to Mikey. "How's that?"
Mikey gave a small nod. "Well, it's not bad, but-" he cracked his neck. "-you could use more diviners. I guess that means it's my turn. We were suspicious of foul play as soon as it started snowing. With a combination of spirit magic and prescience that even I had to admit was- ahem -very well played, we confirmed that it was indeed the work of a demon."
"Do you know who it is?" Lucy asked, admiring.
"Well, no. Our visions were a stretch, and were... a bit blurred, so yeah. However, we did see how they died." Mikey turned to Lyla, who was listening intently. "Would you be willing to convey a vision?"
Lyla paused, shifting her eyes. "Uh... I guess. I dunno, I've never done it before."
Mikey motioned for Lyla's hand. She held it out, and he reached out his own. He briefly held it above hers before locking eyes with her. "Ready?" Lyla gave a very neutral noise. Mikey procured his totem wand in his other hand. He grasped Lyla's palm and closed his eyes, as his wand lit up a warm shade of gold.
Lyla gasped, feeling a cold rush of something flow into her being. Her powers flared; ruby light poured from the conjured bright star on her forehead. But they were no longer in their living room. Lex, Lucy, and Aaron observed their surroundings: a small apartment, humble but well-furnished. It was on a high floor, and Lex could see snow pouring outside the window.
A young man, attractive but particularly aloof, sat on an armchair, laughing at the inane sitcom dribble on a television set. All audio was muffled in the crimson vision, but the sight seemed real as day.
Suddenly, the window burst open. No noise was made as the man stood up with terror. Wave after wave of snow rushed into the room, raging in a furious blizzard, flooding with the vision of snowflakes- Lex and Lucy were forced to avert their eyes, despite the fact they could not feel the evident cold. But they met a curious sight when they looked back.
The snow slowly floated out the window- as if the blizzard had a mind of its own, fleeing out into the white day. Lucy looked down at her feet, yelping with fright. The young man lay on the floor, frostbitten and covered with ice. She and Lex didn't need an outside source to know he was dead.
The red vision faded away, returning into Lyla's mind. Mikey and Lyla exchanged grim glances with each other. Mikey looked to the rest of them. "That was the third one that died."
Lex turned pale, thinking back to the body under the sheet and the old woman. "...When I was outside, I saw the cops take away one of the bodies." said Lex. They turned their attention to him. "I met an old lady. She said some really weird things, and when I tried to chase after her, she disappeared."
Lucy gave an expression that seemed to lend a cautious skepticism. "What did she say, exactly?"
"She said that she had seen snow a lot. She said that snow killed deserving people, and the three that died had it coming." Lex paused, leaving out the part that haunted him most of all.
"You know, that kinda makes it sound like the three had something in common." Lyla said. She began to brainstorm, mostly to herself than anyone else. "Is it because they were all young males? Is our demon a man-hater?"
"That would make it seem like Zira's Sisterhood is responsible." Lucy followed up. "Or of course, that could've just been some crazy woman."
Lyla nodded. "Either way, we should get prepared. Lucy, would you check the Book for ice demons?"
Lucy got up to start for the stairs. Mikey stopped her, and she paused in her tracks. "Wait. It's possible we could narrow down the search if we find more similarities between the victims."
"Well, sure. But how would we?" Aaron asked from behind. He had remained silent for most of the time, and was just regaining his voice now.
Mikey raised his totem to his face and gave a bright smile. "Isn't that what I'm here for?"
Lyla bit her lip. "I don't really get it. Are you gonna summon all their spirits and interrogate them or something?"
"You just want an excuse to interrogate someone, Ly." Lucy said, sarcastically.
Mikey shook his head. "No. Well, that's how normal witches would do it anyway. No offense."
"None taken."
"This is exactly what spirit magic is about, you see." Mikey said, his hand motions becoming somewhat excited. Lucy grinned at the sight. "The enemy may have grown, but we've grown too. We're forming new techniques and new spells as we speak. Don't worry, I got an easy way to do it. In fact, I can do it right now."
Lyla gave a shrugging gesture. "Be my guest."
Mikey cleared his throat. He stood up in the middle of the room, scanning them all briefly. "Don't be shocked, by the way. This'll only be temporary." Mikey reached into his suit, pulling out a small leather pouch. He delicately fingered into the pouch, and then procured a small pill-sized flower, dried but a vivid shade of red. He briefly reached into the pouch deeper, and found three more of the flowers. He replaced the pouch into his suit. Four red flowers perched in Mikey's left palm.
With a fancy spin, Mikey lifted his totem wand with his other hand. He waved it over the blossoms. A rainbow sort of light trickled from the skulls, bathing the blossoms in a variety of spectra before fading away. Carefully, Mikey put his totem wand away as well. He lifted his left hand to his face, and swallowed the flowers.
Mikey gasped, closing his eyes. His body briefly convulsed but his stance stood strong. He did not open his eyes, but he opened his mouth. "...James Long."
Lyla looked confused. Lucy leaned towards her. "That was the first one who died." said Lucy.
"No, I know. But what does that-"
"William Douglas." Lyla's eyes widened, and Lucy and Lex turned their heads in surprise. Mikey had said a second name, but he spoke with two voices. "Christian Flores." A third voice joined in, and Mikey began to sound stereophonic.
Lyla gasped at Mikey's voices. "What's happening?"
Aaron looked over to her. "He's letting their spirits into himself. He's being possessed by all four of them at the same time."
"Jason Heap." Four voices called out. The tension rose to an all time high, as Mikey silently communed. Lyla, Lucy, and Lex swapped their gazes to each other, not sure if they should say anything. Finally, another gasp. Mikey opened his eyes, calmly if anything. He looked down at the Russels, gathered on the couch and huddled in a combination of fear and curiosity. Mikey spoke with one voice again. "Are you okay?"
Lucy tentatively nodded. Mikey continued. "Good. I let the four victims' spirits into myself. I cross referenced their histories and their attributes."
"Did you find anything?" asked Lyla.
Mikey bit his lip. "Well... it turned out to be arbitrary. They all lived alone. I guess they were all good-looking, if you're into that sorta thing. None of them were vegetarians."
"Vegetarians? You're kidding." Lyla stated.
"Look, I had some trouble. They all differed in the usual stuff. Only one of them was a witch, and they all had their own very complicated relationship issues-"
Lyla threw her hands up. "That doesn't help! Lucy, check the Book." Lucy got to her feet and scurried upstairs. "I'll make some fire potions." she looked to her left, at the slightly catatonic Lex. "...Lex? Maybe you could help Aaron and Mikey find some similarities between the four victims." Lyla jumped from the couch and departed to the kitchen.
There was an awkward silence, as Lex stared at the floor, Aaron stared at him, and Mikey looked between the two of them. Lex reached in his jacket pocket, fumbling the large garnet crystals he had taken for his walk between his palms. The old woman's statement still rang in his head. Perhaps he didn't need to think in the shoes of a demon. Maybe he just needed to think of himself.
Lex looked up at Mikey. "Mikey? You said they all had complicated relationship issues, right?"
Mikey started from his own train of thought. "Hm? Yes, yes. But they were all in very different matters."
"And you also said they were all attractive?"
Mikey looked a little embarrassed, and laughed to himself. "Err... well, I suppose. That sorta thing's subjective."
Aaron uncrossed his arms. He observed Lex, unsure of what he was getting at. Lex clenched his teeth. "Had they ever-" Lex, for a second, wasn't sure how to articulate it. "Did they ever hurt anyone?"
Mikey raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Lex opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted by footsteps down the stairs. Lucy perched the Book of Shadows in front of her, trudging down the stairs with her eyes glued to the open pages. "Hey, I think I found something."
"Really?" Aaron asked with some hope. He hurried to the staircase to meet up with Lucy.
Something sharp suddenly stabbed in Lex's mind. He winced in pain, although the sensation only lasted for a split second. Lex started to his feet. Shivers began to crawl all over his body, from his spine to every contour of his arms and legs, and Lex began to feel cold. He let a shaking breath out; his breath was foggy. He called out, but it was too late. "Aaron!"
The front door burst open, slamming against the walls with a thunderous noise. A wave of freezing wind effortlessly cut through the house, taking a slew of snowflakes with it; it blasted its way through the foyer, and knocked Lucy backwards, Book and all. Mikey and Lex ran in from the living room, and Lyla heard the commotion from the kitchen.
Aaron ran to Lucy's side, helping her to her feet. All five of them marveled at the sight gathering before them: A swirling vortex of snow, a mini-blizzard, whorled in the foyer, cold wind whistling about it, stinging them all with the biting teeth of frost. The ice storm grew tighter and more furious; tendrils of ice and snow whipped from the whirling storm, and it seemed the frozen terror was aiming for Lucy and Aaron.
Lyla was immobilized by the gale. Mikey thrust his totem wand at the vortex. A bolt of pure white lightning conjured from it, branching out into a dozen little bolts that crawled along the wind like a series of roots. They attempted to pull the ice storm away, but it did not move. Mikey yelled over the blizzard to Lex next to him. "My magic's no good!"
Suddenly, a blade of wind and ice shot out, slashing the wall with deft strength. Another one followed, but this one came dangerously close to Aaron and Lucy. Aaron pulled Lucy further up the stairs. As though angered, the ice storm extended a wall of snow from itself; Lyla screamed from a distance, as the snow engulfed Aaron in a frenzy of winter.
Lex grunted with frustration at the needles of ice pricking the skin of his face. He concentrated as much as he could, pointing at the ice storm. "Diffuse!" Lex had chosen the right word. The packed snow seemed to become less dense, and the wind slowed to a still-painful breeze. And then the ice storm stopped; snowflakes fell gently in the foyer like they did outside, creating a veil of whiteness. Lex heard a far off gasp from Aaron as he was released.
Lex peered through the snow. A silhouette stood, nearly invisible in the sheets of snow. Lex quickly reached into his jacket, throwing the four garnet crystals into the air. "Cloister! Garnet cage!"
With a sharp chime, the garnets flew into place, in quarters around the silhouette. The red light shined from within, a core of crimson in a falling white world. Lyla attempted to dig herself from the snow, and Mikey tripped over a particularly large chunk of leftover ice. Aaron ducked over Lucy, healing the back of her head with golden light, his hands visibly shaking.
Lex went unnoticed as his feet crunched in the newly fallen snow. The ice felt cruel. It was sharp and unrelenting, a thousand tiny blades in frozen form. Lex came face to face with the figure in the red cage, still invisible to the others.
A beautiful young woman stood amid the garnets. Her shining black hair was long and straight, flowing to the floor like a curtain. Her skin was unimaginably fair, nearly pure white; only her slanted black eyes and her deep red lips stood out from the snow. She was dressed in a just-as-white kimono, ornate and made of the most beautiful silk.
The beauty smiled at Lex as he looked at her from the other side of the cage. She extended a hand from the sleeve of her kimono. It was delicate, fragile, yet strangely merciless. She held her palm out, as though expecting Lex to reach out and grab it. Her voice was clear and quietly echoed. "You understand. You would agree with me, wouldn't you? Why won't you let me?"
Lex looked back at her with confusion. He knew it was the old woman from before, but he didn't know what to say. "I-I-I don't agree."
"Hm. Sure you don't. Then if you'll stop me if I try this?" The beauty opened her palms in front of her, and thrust them to the ground. A wave of frosty wind blew a garnet crystal away, disarming the cage. Lex stepped backwards in panic. The beauty threw her palm out at Aaron, still perched over Lucy; the falling snow suddenly gathered up into a raging ring, and flew at Aaron, entrapping him in the absolute cold.
Lex gazed up in helplessness, the snow swirling around Aaron, freezing his clothes and his hair first. Bits of frost formed on his body. His face grimaced in pain, but he was still holding on. Lex looked at the Snow Woman; she was smiling with glee, controlling the ice ring from afar. "No! I don't want this!"
The Snow Woman didn't look over. "Then stop me."
Lex swallowed, looking to Aaron and back again. He mustered strength, and shoved the Snow Woman. It wasn't enough to shake her concentration. Lex grunted, raising his hands up. "Push!"
The wave of force knocked the Snow Woman back, but not off her feet. The ring of ice stopped, and Aaron was released yet again, now completely immobilized from the frost. The Snow Woman looked curious, her delicate hands fingering the air laced with snow. She sweetly smiled at Lex. She closed her eyes, only her ruby lips visible in the white, until those disappeared too. In a gentle funnel of snow, the ice storm flew back out into the day. The Snow Woman was gone.
Aaron sat huddled in a blanket, his teeth chattering. Lucy sat down next to him at the dining table, handing him a mug of hot tea; Aaron's hands were still trembling. Lucy smiled a little. "I thought whitelighters couldn't feel cold."
"Th-th-they c-can't. B-bu-but my m-muscles c-c-can still get f-fr-frozen."
Lyla put her hand on Aaron's knee, rubbing him as if it would help him get warmer. "It seems like the demon brought all the snow out with it. I turned the heating up, so you'll feel thawed in no time."
Mikey sat across from Aaron, and turned his head to Lex, who sat nonchalantly on the kitchen counter. "What did you do to drive it away?" asked Mikey.
Lex, unsure as to the repercussions of answering, shrugged. "I used my powers on her. She ran away."
"So it was a woman?" Lucy asked. Lex nodded. Lucy suddenly looked confident. "Then I guess I found the right entry." Lucy momentarily strode out of the dining room, returning with the Book of Shadows. She spread it out on the table, and everyone gathered around to read the text.
The entry's picture was faded with age, but the color was still vivid enough to yield enough of the image; Lex could make out the raven hair and the innocently white kimono trailing behind, but her face was rubbed out. Lyla rotated the Book in her direction, reading the entry out loud. "The Yuki-Onna. A figure in Japanese mythology. A beautiful young woman once died of a frozen heart in a blizzard, becoming the Yuki-Onna, a powerful spirit of snow. She wields the ability to control and create snow, and she can turn invisible in a snow storm."
Mikey yawned briefly. "Does it say how to vanquish it in there?" he asked.
Lyla scanned lower. She gave a vague nod. "To banish the Yuki-Onna, one must thaw her heart." Lyla looked up from the Book. "Helios flare cage. Or maybe a conflagration potion."
"Or maybe a flamethrower." Lucy said, a touch sarcastic yet a touch more serious.
"Well the point is, we need to stop it before it kills any more." Lyla said. She perched on the dining table, putting an arm around the freezing Aaron. Lex cleared his throat to no effect. "We have all we need to vanquish it. All we need to do is find it."
"Do you have a plan for that?" Lucy asked.
Mikey interjected. "I could go back to the Guardians. We could predict where it'll be next."
Lyla shook her head. "...No. It could kill again while we're waiting."
Lex, all-the-while reluctant to lend himself to the conversation, piped up. "She's a spirit of snow. All we need to do is scry with some snow, and we'll find her if she's close. You can even use snowflake obsidian as a scrying crystal, and it'll probably work better."
"No, that won't-" Lyla interrupted herself. "-well, it might." she stood up. "Then I guess I'll get ready. Lex, you can scry, and Lucy and I will go to do the vanquish."
"I want to go." Lex demanded.
Lyla let a now-typical exasperation crawl back onto her face. "Lex, from the looks of things, the Yuki-Onna targeted Aaron for its next victim. That means Aaron needs as much protection as he can get, and THAT means-"
"Lyla, I'm sick of this!" Lex yelled. Both Lyla and Lucy drew back at his uncharacteristic anger. Lex looked down at the table, as if suddenly ashamed of his outburst. "...I-I just wanted to get out."
Aaron sunk lower in his chair. He couldn't help but think that Lex just didn't want to stay with him. Lex, on the other hand, was more concerned with closure. Lyla spoke quietly, a bit apprehensive. "Alright then. Lucy will stay with Aaron. You and I will go. Can you scry for the demon?" Lex nodded. "Then we'll leave as soon as we find it."
Lex crushed the snow in his palm until its softness had compressed into ice, cold and malevolent against his bare skin. The snowflake obsidian skated over the map, and Lex hovered like a scavenger going in for the feast.
Mikey came up from behind him. The wood floor of the attic caused his steps to echo. "Did you find it?"
Lex didn't respond, for just as Mikey said that the scrying crystal pulled towards the map like a magnet. There was the light clink of crystal against table, and Lex leaned over to see where it landed. Lex threw the snow at the ground, and it crumbled back into snowflakes that melted into the wood. He looked back at Mikey. "Yeah. The pond at Golden Gate Park."
"I didn't even know there was a pond there."
Lex shrugged. "Apparently."
"Before the Yuki-Onna attacked, you seemed to figure out why it was targeting its victims." Mikey began to say. "Am I wrong?"
"...I just got a hunch. " Lex said.
"So then you did know that Aaron would be attacked next."
Lex opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly realized that he didn't know what to say. He cleared his throat to stall. "I, uh, I didn't. Exactly. Or, well maybe I did. I suspected."
Mikey continued the interrogation. "If you suspected, then why didn't you say something earlier?"
"Well, I just-" Lex began to sputter, and realized how ridiculous he must've sounded. "I didn't realize it in time. Okay?"
Mikey caught the note of defensiveness in Lex's last reply. He bowed his head just slightly. "I'm sorry if I offended you. But next time, try and catch things just a tad bit earlier." Mikey started out the attic. "I'll get Lyla."
Lex pouted with some frustration. But then Lex thought about it a little bit harder. Didn't he know that the old woman was the demon? And didn't he remember what she had said to him? And if that was the case, then didn't he know whom her next victim would be this entire time?
Why didn't he do anything to stop it?
Lyla burst in from the back, followed by Mikey. She looked just a tad bit sheepish, and she fingered the potions in her purse. She gazed at Lex as if he would pounce on her at any moment. "Do you have the crystals?"
Lex quickly strode to the cabinet, retrieving the garnet crystals from before and several sunstones. He put them into a side bag, and slung it over his shoulder. "Yes."
Mikey and Lyla walked over to him. Mikey grabbed Lex's left hand, and Lyla's right. Lex felt the grip tighten just a bit as his sight turned a bright yellow, and a feeling of freedom overcame him.
It only took several seconds to ground Lex back into reality. The three of them flashed into a secluded part of Golden Gate Park, between a circle of deciduous trees unnaturally covered in snow. The ground was blanketed in white, and they left crunchy footprints with every move they made.
Lyla huddled deeper into her jacket, breathing warm air on her bare hands. Mikey, still not dressed in any winter gear, seemed strangely unfazed by the weather. Lex surveyed the ground, and saw the pond not too far from their circle of trees, deeper into the park. He motioned for Lyla and Mikey, and the three of them approached, careful to limit their noise to a minimum.
They broke through the trees, and Lyla sighed with deflation. The pond was frozen solid. She looked to Lex and Mikey. "Now what?"
Lex shook his head. "My scrying said she was here. This is right." He perked up suddenly. Mikey and Lyla exchanged glances as Lex descended the incline, stepping onto the frozen water.
"Lex, don't slip!" Lyla called, going down after him. Mikey followed her, but he was noticeably more swift.
Although the black winter sky was still bright enough with streetlamps to shed light on the pond, Lex could barely see into it. He bent down, sweeping the falling powder snow off the surface. He smiled. Lex again motioned Lyla and Mikey near, pointing into the ice.
Mikey reached him first, then Lyla. "What are we looking at?" Mikey asked.
Lex pointed again, being sure to continue sweeping the falling snow away. "Look closer."
"I don't-" Mikey paused. Lyla gasped to herself. They caught it at the same time: a far-away sprig of shining blue light, flickering from the drowning darkness of the ice. It broke through the shadowy pond just briefly, like the refraction in a broken piece of glass, but once the three of them caught it they couldn't take it out of their sights.
Lyla looked up at Mikey. "Shall we?" Mikey nodded. The three of them joined hands in a circle, and flashed away in a stream of golden light. They plunged into the pond.
Strangely, it seemed to take longer to reach the bottom of the pond than it did to get to Golden Gate Park. As the wisps of light shone away from their materializing figures, Lex, Lyla, and Mikey had flashed into a wonderland.
None of them anticipated the sight. They were in a maze of pure ice, shining bright with a mysterious sapphire-blue light. The ground glittered with powder snow, a gentle floor of gemstones. Icicles grew up and down from the floors and ceilings, creating jaws of true blue, threatening to crunch down like the teeth of an otherworldly mouth. Lex looked up. He could not see the surface of the lake, their only illumination being the bizarre radiance of the ice cave.
The three of them exchanged glances. Mikey took the lead, followed by Lyla with Lex in the rear. Their footsteps on the snow echoed in the long halls, and it seemed that even the smallest sound broke the delicacy of the place. The path took a sharp turn, then another and another, such to the point that if they weren't traversing just one corridor, they would have been amazingly disoriented.
Lex didn't keep track of the time, but it seemed like eternity until the path tapered out. But the room it funneled into was more amazing than the rest; it was a ballroom, as Lex lacked a better word to describe it. The shining floor spread out in a circular room, and icicles rose up everywhere, varying in size. Some were as tall as Lex. Some were even huger, towering as humongous pillars that seemed to hold up the roof. And in the middle of it all, embedded in the icy ceiling, hung a sculpture of beautiful ice crystals: a million tiny stalactites dangling from an invisible fount, a swarm of crystallized tear drops frozen in time.
But they didn't have time to marvel at the beauty. Lex felt the sharp stab again, pulling his hands to his temples. He whispered under his breath. "She's coming."
Mikey whipped out his wand. Lyla took out two of her bottles. Suddenly, a frozen wind whipped from behind them. They covered their heads as the snowy gale blew past their backs and into the ballroom, cavorting into a whirling blizzard.
The ice storm sent a blade of frigid wind at them. Mikey thrust his wand horizontally, a shield of his golden light protecting from harm. He turned to Lex, whom acknowledged his signal. Lex concentrated. "Diffuse!"
Just like in the manor, the ice storm unwound like a spinning top on its last legs. Even though the ice storm had stopped, snow still continued to fall. As the wind began to unravel, all three of them could now see the faint silhouette in the bed of white.
Mikey stepped forward first, retracting his wand and slashing it out again, sending lightning at the figure. With a flick of the figure's hand, a swirl of snow took the electricity into itself. The snow assaulted Mikey, pushing him back into the corridor with a small scream.
Lyla took his place, flinging both of her potions at once with a yell. Another wave of ice passed through the potions, and they dropped to the ground; the completely frozen bottles shattered on the ground.
Before she knew it, Lyla was flung backwards as well by a forceful flurry of snow. Lex stood alone, facing the dark shadow in the blizzard. He stepped forward slowly, far from aggressively, fumbling with the garnets in his side bag. Lex pulled them out, preparing to create the cage.
But something stopped him from doing so. Lex simply stood, his arm at the ready, but not getting to the throw. The Yuki-Onna emerged from the blizzard: red lips first, eyes second, her beautiful hair last of all. Her smile was sugary and simple, and her echoed off of the icy walls. "I've been waiting for you."
Lex gasped, as a gust of arctic breeze beckoned him closer to the Yuki-Onna. The icicles rising from the ground seemed to welcome Lex further, trapping him in the ballroom. He spoke with a touch of fear. "What do you want?"
"We want the same thing. Both of us." she said.
"..." Lex was reminded of what she had said and what he had done.
"Please, don't make me hurt you." she whispered. The Yuki-Onna seemed compassionate. She reached her delicate arms out in front of her, as if to embrace Lex. A hand brushed his cheek. Lex didn't flinch, unsure of what to do as her soft touch chilled him to the bone. "Do not pretend. I see it in your eyes, I feel it in your heart. You and I are the same."
Lex wildly shook his head. "I-I... no..."
"Don't you know how I became like this?" The Yuki-Onna inquired, slightly cocking her head so her red lips and dark slanted eyes tilted in the white icy fall. She lay her hands on Lex's face, and Lex choked back gasping from the frigidity. The Yuki-Onna crooned in a soft whisper, barely audible yet amazingly clear through the silence of the snow. "He tore out my heart. He hurt me so badly." Lex's eyes widened. Images of the men frozen to death flashed through his head, and he was somehow sickened by the thought. "He broke me so badly, that- that I had to go out into the snow. The ice was the only thing that could save me. The snow gives people what they deserve. It is people like him that deserve to die. The four I just finished with, and countless others." The Yuki-Onna looked up at Lex, meeting their gazes. She looked far more intimidating now. "Wouldn't you agree?"
Lex didn't move. He opened and closed his mouth in denial, although he knew exactly what lurked in his mind. A tear began to form in his eye. "He didn't... he doesn't deserve to die... He tried to help me-"
"They always try, don't they? But they can't. There's only one thing you can do to fix it."
"That's not true." Lex said, although he sounded unsure of himself.
The Yuki-Onna nodded slowly. "Then why did you let me reach him so early?"
Lex looked up at the Yuki-Onna, his eyes sparkling, his voice shaky. "N-n-no. I don't, I don't want him to die, I don't! He hurt me and he's hurting me now but I don't want to hurt him back!"
"My dear. You already are." The Yuki-Onna said, tactfully. Lex stopped in shocked realization. She reached out her hand to Lex's chest. "You refuse to even look at him, but you see it in his eyes. You are indeed hurting him as much as you are hurting those around you." The Yuki-Onna passed one of her fingers vertically down Lex's sternum. "Your heart... is becoming much like mine."
Silence. Snow fell gently to the ground, in unison with a single tear. Lex cradled his head in his arms, shaking his head back and forth. He seemed child-like, but Lex didn't care. His voice was weak and tired, the voice of surrender. "...but I don't wanna be like you."
The Yuki-Onna's face was stern. "You will learn to grow strong. You will learn to coat your weakness in ice."
"bu-but I don't..." Lex sniffled. "I don't wanna hurt anyone, just because they hurt me."
"I know the pain you're going through. I went through it all, ever last tear and every last rip of my heart." The Yuki-Onna pleaded, her beautiful voice that of a mother's. "But they can never rectify the pain. Surrender to the ice, my dear. Let it take you, and you will correct the pain. You will be the cold judgment of snow, like I."
A sudden gasp echoed in the cavernous walls of the ballroom. The sight was perhaps unbelievable to even the Yuki-Onna, her face petrified in an expression of shock. Lex had dived in close, bent down, and caught the Yuki-Onna's torso in a hug.
Lex wiped his tears on her chest, the silk kimono still icy cold. He didn't care. He spoke from his spot. "No more pain! He broke my heart, but I don't wanna cause pain because of it! You... you know exactly how I feel, you know what it's like to have your heart ripped into pieces, but it's not right to make everyone else feel the same way... and, and-and we have each other. We can stick together, we can make the hurt go away, and we can help each other move on, but please, just no more pain!" Lex began to hyperventilate, his breaths becoming the short staccato jerks that accompany tears. "Please, please, please.... no pain..."
The look of shock did not wipe itself from the Yuki-Onna's face. She shook her head slowly, truly unsure of what to do. She apprehensively brought her hands up, touching the back of Lex's head as he childishly hugged her. "...But don't you want vengeance? Don't you want to show them what they did to you?"
Lex shook his head, not meeting her eyes. "I can move on. I just want my heart to be fixed. And breaking others won't help."
Something sudden happened. The tenseness melted off of the Yuki-Onna's face. She gently cradled Lex as he weeped, and made small shushing noises. Lex wondered if he was hallucinating. The slab of ice he was crying against grew warmer, starting as a tiny spot and then growing outwards like a ripple. He looked up. Color was returning to the Yuki-Onna, blush and skin.
The Yuki-Onna kindly pushed Lex away. She reached her hand over and wiped one last tear from his eyes, and the touch was a little bit warm. Lex didn't know what to say, more confused than anything else. The Yuki-Onna smiled, and the smile looked more benevolent than before. "Maybe I agree with you." Lex gave a small laugh. The Yuki-Onna retracted her hands to her chest, looking down at them in curiosity. She met eyes with Lex. "Perhaps we'll meet some other day, my dear. Those broken often come together again. I hope you fix yourself."
"I, I... I hope you do to." Lex said, still sniffling. "...You won't cause more pain?"
The Yuki-Onna smiled one last time. A gale of snowy wind swirled into the ballroom, sweeping her away into the icy air. Lex giggled. He wiped the tears from his eye with his sleeve, which was strangely warm.
He heard a commotion behind him. Mikey had gotten up, helping Lyla to her feet. Lyla started towards Lex. "Lex! Where's the demon?!"
Lex grinned. "I think we can go home safe now."
There was a flash of golden light in the living room. Lucy and Aaron jumped to standing as Lex, Lyla, and Mikey materialized. Lyla and Mikey seemed rather flustered, and Lex was expressionless.
Lucy and Aaron exchanged glances. Lucy piped up. "Did you get her?"
Lyla scratched her head. "Apparently."
"Whaddya mean?" Lucy asked, just a little confused. Lyla and Mikey shrugged in unison.
Aaron seemed thawed, dressed in a new set of t-shirt and pants, his hair just slightly damp. He awkwardly stared at the ground towards Lex. "Lex. Are you okay? Did she hurt you?" Lex looked over to Aaron. Aaron stared back with deep black eyes, starving for the gaze. He nearly yelped as Lex embraced him in his arms, resting his head on his chest. Aaron laughed. "I, Lex, I-"
"I missed you." Lex said into his chest. He giggled again.
Aaron opened his mouth in amazement, looking down at Lex. He hugged him back, glad to feel his warmth again. "I... I missed you too, Lex."
Lex slowly stepped into his room, closing the door behind him. It was still snowing outside, but it seemed more beautiful in the nighttime than ever before. The white flakes danced in unison with the blinking lights of the city. Shouts of jubilation and celebration flickered outside, making their way as muffled whispers in the lonely silent room.
Lex nearly jumped when he flicked on the lights. There was a box on his bed, simple and black. He looked around the room. No one was there. He was with his sisters, Aaron, and Mikey all day, none of them could have set it there.
The box bounced a little as Lex settled on the bed. He cradled it briefly in his hands, not sure as to what to expect. He opened the top.
A smile crept to Lex's lips. He reached in and scooped out the contents; he found that he was holding snow in his palms. Something pretty, fragile, something like teardrops, or prisms. It was the delicate shade of rainbows, with the brave strength of steel. It a small crystal with the power of color, the delicacy of strength, the secret pain of snow that went into its core.
A silver chain went through a hole in the gem. Lex put it over his neck, and again marveled at the crystal tear drop. Lex looked at the box again. He picked up a small piece of paper, a message scribbled in unknown handwriting:
"Snow is a wise choice."
Lex laughed, shaking his head. He clutched the pendant in his palm, holding it to his heart. He looked outside to the gentle snow. It couldn't be any more beautiful.
;) Happy Holidays, everyone.
Hope you're all having a super winter season! I submitted this... a tad bit late, so hopefully it's gonna come out during X-Mas, but, err... we'll see.
Next issue: the family tree, and some important BOS entries. Now, I heard that one can upload JPEG images, so I want to submit a tree I made on photoshop, but I'm not POSITIVELY sure that that's allowed, so that might take some time. Haha, if not I'll just like, hand type one, but yeah.
Now go out there and have a fun time this winter! Cheers!
as per usual: thank you for reading!
Questions? Comments? Recommendations? Fan Mail? Hate Mail, maybe? Wanna just talk about Charmed? email me at ThePleiadesCall@gmail.com . Love to hear from you!