Disclaimer: I don't own anything guys.
Shadows and Mist
Part 2
Flickering torches on the walls illuminated the darkness of the Underworld. Shadows flittered across the cavern and distant howls of pain echoed menacingly. A hooded figure stood patiently in front of a dark book, the pages seemed to be the very colour of the night. He lifted one hand up slightly and clicked his fingers and in a silhouette of flames, a rather large man appeared. He had wild hair and cold, empty looking eyes. Around his belt, there was a dagger and several black pouches attached. As soon as he saw where he was, he sank obediently to one knee and bowed his head. The hooded figure turned his head and regarded the man. He spoke in a cold, toneless voice that filled the atmosphere with a thick feeling of foreboding.
"Is Belthazor dead, Bounty Hunter?"
The man kept his head bowed, determinedly fixing his gaze to the floor.
"He has been severely wounded, my liege." he replied calmly.
The hooded figure remained still and quiet for a moment. He then walked slowly toward the bounty hunter.
"But his death is not absolute." it was more of a statement than a question. "Rise."
The bounty hunter got swiftly to his feet.
"You will try again." the hooded figure said, waving his hand in front of the bounty hunter, who then emitted a momentary glow.
"Your powers have been tripled. Do not fail me."
The bounty hunter nodded and shimmered away. The hooded figure walked back towards the black book and slammed it shut. He walked back across the cavern as fire surrounded his body and he dematerialised.
At the same moment, unbeknownst to the hooded man, the inverted pentagram on the front of the book glowed brightly and the book itself opened, its pages flipping as though propelled by wind. The force ceased and the book lay open on a specific page. A low rumbling resounded through the dark cave. It became steadily louder until the ground shook violently and dust and rocks fell from the ceiling….
"Okay, what is going on with all these earthquakes?" Piper asked in annoyance as she plucked a frozen vase out of midair.
Prue walked in from the dining room doorway and straightened several pictures that had been knocked askew by the force of the quake. She turned to Piper.
"Third one in two days. Not to mention the freak storms"
Piper nodded in disgust and placed the vase back on the end table. The youngest Halliwell came trotting down the stairs, she looked slightly sombre.
"Yeah well, this is what global warming does for ya." she said as she walked towards her sisters. Piper and Prue turned to face her, both wearing looks of concern on their faces.
"Hey Pheebs," Piper greeted her younger sister, "how's Cole doing?"
It had been two days since Cole had barely managed to shimmer him and Phoebe back to the manor after being attacked by a team of bounty hunters. Cole had been grievously injured by the attack, on the brink of death until Leo had managed to heal enough of the damage to stabalise him. According to Phoebe however, they had put up one hell of a fight, killing all but one bounty hunter, who had caused the most damage and used the opportunity to escape before Phoebe could come up with a satisfactory vanquishing spell.
"He's a lot better now, just resting up. The battle took a lot out of him, but he's nearly fully recovered. Another day or two, he should be fine" Phoebe informed them, the relief evident from both the tone of her voice and the smile that played on her lips. Her older sisters smiled happily at the news. The happiness was slightly short lived, however, as a sudden tremor rocked the manor, accompanied by a monumental crash of thunder and blazes of lightening that flashed through the sky. The tremor was over as quickly as it had began. Piper scrunched up her face in frustration at the inconvenience of yet ANOTHER quake. Prue smiled a little to herself.
"Umm, Piper?" she said cautiously.
"What?" Piper snapped slightly. She followed her sister's gaze to see the vase that she had saved from damage just three minutes earlier, shattered on the floor. She groaned to herself and threw her hands up in the air.
"Arrgh, I give up!" she said in exasperation as she walked briskly out of the room. Her sisters giggled to each other quietly, but quickly straightened their faces as Piper marched back in with a dustpan and brush.
The storm continued to rage through the skies. Thunder rumbled and growled fiercely. Lightening darted furiously in all directions and rain poured down without mercy. Earthquakes shook the ground with vengeance and chaos reigned. However, it was not Mother Nature who was responsible for this assault upon the Earth….