"Oh, my God, why...won't...it...work?" Piper said, angrily as she repeatedly tried to blast the cave open.
"Keep trying," encouraged Paige, "We've got to get in there before it's too late."
--------
Francis moved toward Chris one last time. He held up his empty hand. Suddenly, a ball of fire appeared in it.
Fire. The final step.
Francis placed his hand in front of Chris's bleeding skin. The fire met his skin and began to burn it. The pain that Chris felt was unimaginable. He had never felt anything like this before.
He screamed again.
Francis took his hand away. The spot where it had been on Chris's skin had turned black.
An energy ball replaced the fire in his hand.
"You see, the third step is usually the shortest, on account of the victim doesn't usually live this long. So, I give you props for lasting as long as you have. Unfortunately, this is where we say goodbye."
He reached his free hand behind him, and Joy's chains vanished. No sooner had he done this, than the unthinkable happened.
He turned to the newly released Joy and threw the energy ball at her. It hit her square in the chest, flinging her against the cave wall.
"JOY!!!"
Chris stared in amazement at what had just happened. Joy lay motionless on the ground. He couldn't see her face.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" he yelled, "SHE'S NOT WHAT YOU WANTED! WHY HER?!"
Annoyed, Francis turned back to Chris and punched him one last time around the head. Chris's chains came unhinged as he fell to the ground.
"The rules are always different for royalty. Consider yourself lucky."
He turned to the other two and they vanished in a swirl of dust. Just then, the Charmed Ones and Leo came rushing into the room. Piper had finally broken through. The sight that lay before them made them stop dead in their tracks.
"Oh, my God," Piper whispered.
She and Paige rushed over to Joy, while Leo and Phoebe knelt beside Chris.
"Let's get them back before something else happens," Paige said.
Paige and Leo orbed the group back to the manor.
