The sisters stood in their cage awaiting what would happen next. They could tell that something was going on with the sudden movement of the guards. Mantiss walked over to the cage with a determined look on his face. As he glared over the prisoners, he grabbed the cell bars, and shook them uncontrollably.
'Now I will have my revenge', he shouted. 'You will suffer greatly, for what you have done'. He was looking at Piper with a menacing stare.
'Ok, who the hell are you'? Piper shouted back. I don't remember us crossing paths before.
Mantiss put his face close to the cage bars, 'You killed my brother, now I'm going to return the favor in his honor'. He turned to the guards, 'Take her to my chamber'. He walked away content with his mission.
'Oh, great, its bad enough that I don't have any powers, and that my husband is missing, and all innocence everywhere are going to die'. 'Now I have to deal with a demon who is pissed at me for something that happened years ago'. Piper angrily stated.
'We can't be separated, that's way too dangerous'. Paige whispered.
'What can we do, without our powers, there isn't much of a choice'. Phoebe replied.
Piper took both their hands in hers.' We have to go along with this, it's the only way we can buy more time, until Leo gets back'. She said as she watched the guards coming to get her.
The guards opened the cell door, then reached in to take their prisoner. Piper tried to hug both her sisters quickly, but was yanked out of the cage by the demon henchman.
'I love you both.', Piper said as they whisked her away in a shuffle.
Phoebe, and Paige hugged one another, to ease the pain of watching their sister being led away, possibly to her death.
Over in the darkest corner of the layer, two white lights cut through the darkness, as Leo, and Prue, arrived on the seen. They quickly crouched down behind some rocks that hid them from being seen by there enemy's. Looking over the situation , they also watched in horror as Piper was led away by the evil demon guards. On the other side of the dingy dungeon, they could see the enclosure that held the other two sisters. Suddenly there was some commotion as more demon guards escorted one of Hyperia's henchmen into the chamber.
'King Monarch, this one has something to tell you about the white lighter'. The head guard announced.
'What news have you brought before me', Monarch asked.
The demon spoke loudly. 'I was looking for my queen, I sensed she was in danger'. I went to her location, I saw the white lighter there'. 'He was going to betray you, he had no plans to reveal the location of the elders'. ' Hyperia discovered his plot, she was going to kill him for you my king'.
Paige, and Phoebe, could here the breaking news from inside their cage. They listened hopeing to hear that Leo was ok, and where he might be at now.
Monarch also listened to this latest development. 'Where is your queen now ', he asked. 'She shall be given great rewards for her loyalty to me'.
The demon lowered his head and continued with what he had witnessed. 'She is no longer among us, my lord'. 'She fell in battle trying to kill this traiter'.
Monarch looked surprised to hear this news. 'How did this Leo kill your queen'? He demanded to know. 'He has no power, white lighters don't have the ability to destroy their enemy's'.
The demon quickly told Monarch about how a stranger saved Leo, from the evil queen. How this stranger deflected Hyperia's power, right back at her, killing her instantly.
Over in the cage, Paige turned to Phoebe, to reveal a sigh of relief that Leo was still alive. Phoebe had her hands cupped over her face, only her eyes were uncovered. Paige noticed that tears were streaming down Phoebe's face.
'Don't get too emotional, just because Leo's still alive, doesn't mean we will be very soon'. Paige said as she turned to hear more about the queens death.
'I'm not crying about Leo, although I'm thrilled he's not dead'. Phoebe answered. 'I'm crying about him being saved'. She continued.
Paige turned back around, 'who do you suppose it was'? she asked.
Phoebe couldn't talk, her emotions were getting the best of her. She had thought Leo might have tried to bring Prue back with the last amulet. But that was something she had only hoped would be true. Before she could tell Paige, that it might have been Prue that saved Leo, Monarch walked over to the cage.
Prue and Leo were still observing what was taken place.
'What's the plan'? Prue asked.
'Actually I don't have one'. Leo replied.
Prue rolled her eye's. 'I see some things haven't changed '.
'See if you can get Phoebe, and Paige, out of that cell, and meet me over by that large rock'. Prue told Leo.
'Where are you going'? Leo demanded, as Prue started to jog away.
'To get Piper, we'll meet up like I said, then when were all together, we'll get the power of three back'.
Leo didn't have a chance to change her mind, Prue quickly made her way along the cavern walls in the direction Piper was taken.
After being thrown to the ground by the demon guards, Mantiss told his loyal subjects leave the room.
'This is between me and the witch', he proclaimed.
Piper stood up, she knew without any powers, she would have to fight like she never fought before. As Mantiss came closer, Piper grabbed a handfull of dirt off the chamber floor. She threw it aiming for his demonic eye's. She then tried to run for the open door, but was pulled back by her hair.
'Now you will learn about pain, and death', Mantiss shouted.
'Go to hell you son of a ', but before Piper could finish her sentence, he struck her across the face. Piper fell to the ground, she quickly got up and charged her attacker. But Mantiss laughed as he sent her flying into the wall. This time she didn't get up so fast. He walked over to her, stalking her like a hunter stalks its prey.
'Your not so tough, without your powers, or your sisters'. Mantiss said as he picked her up by the hair. Piper tried to punch him, but her strikes were no match for his tough exterior. He lifted her up by the her throught with his right hand. Then with his left hand, he pulled out a dagger.
'Just like your potion killed my brother, my blade will kill you'. He said victoriously.
Piper was squirming, but she could not break his grip. As the demon blade came closer to her chest, she closed her eye's, and prepared for the worst. Her face was bleeding, her energy was gone, her will to live only existed for the sake of her kids. She tried not to show fear, or shed any tears. For that would only make this demonic monster, more satisfied with this kill.
Mantiss pushed the blade even closer to his victims body, This is for my brother', he announced.
'And this is for my sister', someone else announced from the door area.
Mantiss turned to see who this intruder was, but he was soon forced to release Piper, and was thrown across the chamber. Laying unconscious Mantiss's body was motionless face down on the chamber floor.
Piper also laid on the same floor as her attacker. Prue quickly and gently, rolled her weakened sister in her arms. Piper opened her eye's and immediately saw who had saved her. The two had not seen each other in six years, it was almost like they were communicating with there minds. For a few short seconds, they just staired at one another. Finally, Piper spoke first.
'Prue, is it really you?
'Yeah, its me, your not dreaming, or dead'. Prue answered with a smile.
Piper just gazed into her big sisters eye's, she wanted to ask, how Prue was back, she wanted to know about Phoebe, and Paige, and also Leo, but those questions all went away, all she could say was , ' I missed you so much', as she started sobbing and hugging her big sister.
'I missed you to', Prue replied, now the tears were coming from her eye's as well.
As the two sisters held each other, and were enjoying the reunion, Mantiss awoke, and rose to his feet.
'I hate to end this most touching moment, but we have unfinished buisiness'. He said as he pulled the other dagger out of its sheath.
Prue stood up, 'Stay here Piper, I'll deal with him.
'So you do have your witch powers, that won't matter to me'. 'After I kill you, I'll finish off your sister.
Prue walked away from Piper, she stood firm, face to face with this diabolical monster.
Mantiss laughed, 'prepare to die witch', he raised his blade.
' I don't think so', she replied. 'No demon has ever defeated me, and you won't be the first'.
