Chapter 2 - - The Legendary Power
The Abyss
Chepi faded back into reality, his feet touching the damp rock in this section of the Abyss. With a growl, his fist struck the stone, sending a ripple of energy cracking the stone. Of course, Chepi did not expect that his confrontation with Cole would come out with a win. Mainly he wanted to reveal himself, hoping to catch him at a moment of weakness.
Despite everything else, his trip gained something even better. He found a huge chink in the armor of his spawn. The Source was powerful, for he came from a powerful being, and with the assimilation of the might of the Underworld at his command, he would become an almighty force of power. But his wife, and his unborn son, they were not as strong. Unless combined with the might of her sisters. The legend of the Power of Three was an ancient prophecy, long before Melinda Warren uttered the words at her death.
He wondered how they were able to combine demon with witch, and create a child. Then again, there were stranger combination of the magical beings out there.
But he was interrupted, as he was summoned. He felt the powerful call of the Charmed Ones. As his strength was still incomplete. He could not ignore it.
Halliwell Manor
Cole had shape shifted into Leo for this deception. Since they thought Cole was human, he couldn't tell them that he knew that Chepi was awake. But Leo could. They jumped at the elders call far too often when the safety of innocents was threatened. Twisting the return of Chepi Unadante to sound like it was a plea from the floating little angels. He told them the elders knew that the ancestor of the source had arisen, and was trying to take over the Underworld. He also told him that they knew how to summon and destroy him. The same way with Balthazar.
So they decided to use the tried and true method. Summon, freeze, slice off some flesh, trap in the crystal cage, throw the flesh in the potion, bye bye demon. But Cole knew it wasn't enough of course. He would use a nifty little potion he took from the grimore, one that stopped time for witches. With that, he would use his power to wound him enough, that the potion would work. It was worth a shot to kill him, or at the least wound him long enough to take his throne.
The air in the attic rippled with energy in horror at the evil that was entering. A deep shade appeared in the floor, as Chepi's form became visible. The girls stood in shock as it seemed they stared at Cole's reflection. Cole knew that would be a problem.
Chepi grinned at their uncomfortableness, but turned to the appearance of Leo, but seeing the aura of the Source surrounding him, knew that he was there. Hmm, a pleasant opportunity
"So, good and evil have joined forces to destroy me. That is a rarity. It seems the magical world has changed since my absence." he droned. Piper looked at him in mystery, but froze him. But it didn't work.
"I am immune to your powers, all of them. I came here to confront and destroy my spawn." he said, not taking his eyes from Cole. "What the hell are you talking about? We vanquished the Source." Paige scoffed. Phoebe started to look a little worried. She always had her doubts about where the Source's powers went after destroyed by the Hollow. Cole, especially, was growing worried. He didn't think to realize that Chepi could detect his aura, as much as he tried to hide it. He was blood after all. They are going to find out, if he didn't do something. But what to do without blowing my cover?
"No, you did not. He lives, but not for long." Chepi laughed, as he tossed an energy ball at Cole. It blasted right through Cole, the pain taking away the spell of glamour he wore. He laughed at the reaction on the faces of the sisters, especially his wife. The blast took his heart, Cole desperately was working his magic to heal himself, his survival being of prime importance. With tears in her eyes, Phoebe was shaking her head in denial. "This isn't real. This isn't real. It's a trick. This isn't real." Phoebe whimpered. Tears burst from her eyes, a cry of anguish and anger.
Chepi laughed at her heartache, the noise grating the wood, prickling the skin of the Charmed ones. Chepi gathered his energy, creaking the walls and shattering vases and glass, the shadow pouring from the emptiness of his eyes was billowing out now, his hatred choking the attic like miasma. "YOU BASTARD!" Phoebe screamed, but it was not with the voice that her sisters knew to be hers. Phoebe jerked up, her eyes filled with hatred. She reached out her hand, and a line of bright flames poured from her hand and danced around Chepi, engulfing him.
Chepi screamed at this unforeseen event. His scream cut into the night, he focused as hard as he could at sustaining himself and not burning to death. With sheer force of will he forced the flames to subside. When he could not, he felt himself breaking apart. With a last grab at life, he focused on vanishing. He did, but the flames stayed.
With the threat gone. Phoebe rushed to Cole's side, hovering over his wound. "No daddy." she whispered. Cole's eyebrows shot up, as Phoebe seemed to return to normal. "Cole are you okay?" she asked.
With concern in their eyes, Piper and Paige slowly walked to Phoebe to pull her off. "Come on Phoebe, who cares? He's the source!" Paige screamed. Piper attempted to shush her, but was horrified anyways. "So what? I love him no matter what." A sigh of relief escaped from Phoebe as Cole's wound healed. "Oh my god, I thought we lost you. Cole, I know now what you are. Our son showed me a premonition." she whispered into his ear.
Phoebe helped him stand up, and they turned to Paige and Piper, and now Leo, who had orbed in after being called by Piper. "He's the Source, Leo, and Phoebe is now throwing fire." Piper squeaked in concern. Leo's face went cold, not looking at them. "That's bad. Fire throwing, is..is an upper level demonic power."
Phoebe and Cole, holding hands gazed at each other lovingly. "That's right, Leo. I am embracing my new destiny, sisters. My place is with my husband, and our son." They disappeared in a huge wave of fire.
The Coronation of the Source
The voices in the hall, raised the energy of the coronation site to eerie heights. They sat in a dark cavern, the magma of the earth was the only light in the hall, with waves of bones littering the immense obsidian walls. The complete High Council had gathered to crown their new Overlord of Evil. His elite guard, and the Dark Priest stood at the helm of the pentagram. The grimore awaited there opened.
Off in the darkness, a slight distance from the gathering. A Dark Lord and his love, stood embraced, lips locked together in passion. Phoebe broke it off with a sly grin. "Are you sure about this Phoebe? Your giving up everything. " he whispered with concern. "Of course, my love. Our son is wise, and my premonitions never lie. We will rule them all with our collective will. Us three, we are the new Power of Three. I can't wait for you to meet him. He is young, but wise." Cole put his hand on her stomach in love.
"It is time." The Seer reminded them.
With a look of pure bliss, Cole turned to her and nodded his thanks. She waited, as the Source and His Bride walked towards the dais. They knelt before the grimore and placed their hands upon the book. "Balthazar, you come to take your rightful place as Leader of the Underworld. May the World's evil flow through you this night, and grant you eternal darkness. Are you prepared to take the power and mantle of the Source, before these leaders of the Underworld?" "I am,'" Cole said. "Repeat the Oath after me. Osh-Ibii-Dosamos. Omne patra crosk bera metra.
After they read the oath together, their bodies were uplifted and they shined with a brightness that took everything from the room. A great pulse recoiled the chamber, the shock bouncing off the walls, shaking the foundations of the earth. The earth rumbled, sending a tremor throughout the entire planet.
Evil Incarnate had been crowned. All present bowed before the power of the Source. "Welcome my Lords. The Underworld awaits your command." The Priest bowed before them, handing Phoebe the Grimore.
"Behold the Power of the Source!" Cole shouted, "Behold the Power of My Queen! Behold the Power of My Heir! Together we form the might of the Collective Evil. Now Leave until I call the Council to our regular chambers.
Piper's face, wet with tears, was contorted in fury. Evil had taken her sister away from her again. Her body shaking in denial, she flipped through the book rapidly, the pages barely staying in the book she turned them so hard. "Piper, honey, calm down. You know that we will find a way to get Phoebe back." Leo attempted to comfort her, lightly touching her shoulder. She pointedly ignored him, knowing that her anger would only cloud the path back to Phoebe.
Paige orbed back in, just coming back from the Penthouse, looking for her sister there. "Nothing. There in the Underworld." Paige muttered to the other occupants in the room. "Piper, are you alright?" Piper asked.
"No Paige, I'm not alright. The Source of all Evil has been living in the Manor for months, and my sister is pregnant and missing." Piper exacerbated.
Leo looked up to the sky, hearing a summoning from the elders. Emotions were swirling through him when he heard the divine jingle. It could mean they found a way to help the sisters, or to give him the worst of news. "Piper, I'm being summoned by the Elders. The might have a solution. Call me if you need me, or before you do anything." he told her.
The silvery clouds were giving Leo the comforting feeling of serenity as he orbed into the Elders abode in the heavens. Time ran different here, knowing he could have a lengthy conversation, with only seconds passing on Earth. He sighed as he stepped forward into the amphitheater, golden hooded figures held council with one another in whispers. "You summoned me? Have you found out what happened to Phoebe?" Leo blurted out. A beautiful female Elder held out her hand to silence him. "Patience Leo. We have many things to discuss; good, bad, and worse. The worst of these matters is very grave. Phoebe has turned to evil completely, she has sealed her fate when she stood by the Source as he was coronated.' Leo's face dropped in horror, tears rimming his eyes, knowing what this blow to his heart meant, " This means, the Power of Three is now severed."
"But doesn't she have to kill an innocent to seal her fate?" Leo asked, hoping he was wrong. "Yes, the Oath of the Source requires a human sacrifice. She killed with her bare hands, she is gone forever Leo." "Oh god, no." Leo wailed.
"Calm yourself Leo, there is more. Chepi survived the attack at the Manor, his injuries have already been healed. He has an ability to steal white lighters powers temporarily, and his stronger now than before. But, that is not that bad. We believe that he will go after Cole, in order to take command of the Underworld to challenge the Charmed Ones."
Leo's brow furrowed in confusion, not quite understanding their logic. "But, with only two sisters left, there sitting ducks. He has the strength to do that." Leo scoffed. But a smile crossed the Elders face, and one Elder could not contain a laugh. "At last, we come to the good news. We have decided to do something we swore never to do. But the need of the Sisters is great, and our fate truly rests with them. The Charmed Ones are to be reconstituted again. We are bringing Prue back to life."
A strange smile broke out on the whitelighter's face. Mixed with shock, joy, trepedation, and hope. "That is good news."
Halliwell Manor
Leo orbed in with Prue in her arms. Herself totally corporeal, a great chill covering her skin as she went to the ground, out of breath. Leo chuckled. "Being dead for a good year, then returning to life, it's sure to make your head spin." Prue smiled, happy and sad, as she knew the full extent of why she had returned. The elders had shown her the Akashic Records before returning to Earth, seeing the past events since her death in detail, and glimpsing a small fraction of the future. For divine inspiration, the elders had said. They sure were going to need it. Her heart panged in loss of her baby sister, and in the next it leaped in anticipation to meet another sister, and to hug Piper.
They turned to look at the stairwell, as they could hear both sisters clamoring down. "Leo!" Piper shouted, freezing in her tracks as she saw the black haired Halliwell before her. She blinked, not sure if she was seeing a ghost or not. Prue's smile reached her ears, and her body shown as it was swathed in a lovely white and blue dress.
"Oh my god Piper, your looking wonderful." Prue complimented. Piper screeched and ran into Prue's waiting arms, not daring to let go. As the two reunited again, letting their bodies saying what words could not. Forgiving each other instantly. Paige gazed at Prue like looking at a legend. She was gorgeous, and strong, and was everything she heard her to be. A voice like satin, and a laugh that broke clouds away. As the girls separated, Prue turned to Paige, a smile on her face. "Hi Paige. If been dieing to meet you, no pun intended. I love you Paige."
Paige sighed as she crashed into her arms. "Your hair is so soft, I wish I could have grow-. Well of course, you know what I mean." Paige giggled. As Piper jumped in to join them, a bright blue light enveloped them, the chandelier in the foyer shaking with unbridlied magic. They glanced at each other, knowing what that meant. Charmed again.
"I can't believe this is real. Are you really alive again, Prue?" Piper asked in astonishment. She gazed in shock at her recently ex-deceased sister's beaming smile on her face. "Yes Im really here stay. Though, its kinda bittersweet. Phoebe, is gone. Forever." Prue whispered loudly. Piper tried to speak, but Prue silenced her with a glance.
Leo intervened by recommending that they go sit down in the living room. Paige sat down on the loveseat next to Prue, still in amazment of her sister. Piper sat down on the couch in front of them, with Leo keeping on his feet.
"Okay, this will take a while. And will be hard to hear. Phoebe, stood by Cole as he was coronated as the Source. She turned to evil, forever this time. There isn't coming any back from this. Her child inside her is the main manipulator behind her conversation.' Prue paused as the look of horror crossed Piper's tear stained face. 'Phoebe and Cole's child is, without a doubt, the most powerful being of evil brought into creation. Together, they are a match to us, a Power of Three, in a way. The elders thus decided to bring me back to life. But, that's not all they sent to aid us. They know that all of the World lies on our shoulders. We have each been given new powers. Powerful ones."
Prue turned to Piper, taking her hand in hers. "Because of your divine heritage, and your blood as a whitelighter. You are being given a Divine gift. The ability to channel divine lighting from your fingertips, a power normally used only by the Elders themselves. I have been given the ability of pyrokinesis.' Prue could hardly contain her smile, let alone her laugh.' But you, dear Piper, will be the one truly invincible out of all of us, for the next 9 months at least." Prue said cryptically.
"9 months, what do you mean?" Leo asked. "Plus, the Elder's granted Piper the power of regeneration."
Piper looked at her husband and sister in puzzlement, hating the fact that once again, the Elders interfered with their lives. "What are you two going on about?" Piper asked in an attempt to interrupt them.
Paige jumped up, a look of fierce joy crossing her alabaster face. "Oh my Lords, Piper you're pregnant aren't you?!" The swirl of emotions were intense as the girls grouped together in a huge hug, with loud "Aww's" and "Ohh's" making the moment even more chaotic and joyful. Leo fell to his rump on the coffeetable, a joyful shock evident on him. "I'm going to be a daddy?" he asked out loud.
