A/N: KT, I think we need to check you into Promises in Malibu (or whereever it is) and get you some help with this A/N... habit. You need some help.
Phoebe laid on her bed. She hadn't moved a whole lot since she had been to the mausoleum. She cried for the first few weeks, but now she was beyond tears. And she was alone. She couldn't talk to Piper, she was too distant, and Paige didn't understand.
She was alone. All alone.
* * The Source's chamber * *
Lierre picked up a silver bowl that had an anointing oil in it and walked over to Prue. She was standing in the center of a large broken triangle that had was made up of rocks that had been soaked in a mixture of goat's milk, blood, and melted gold. Her eyes were closed; she was centering her energy.
Lierre stopped in front of her then kneeled on one knee. He dipped his thumb in the oil and made a triangle on his forehead. He then stood up and dipped his thumb in the oil again.
"For the power of the great resurrection." Lierre said, then made the mark of The Source on Prue's forehead with the oil.
After he did, he moved aside and put the bowl down, then kneeled and closed his eyes.
Prue's eyes shot open quickly and began to glow a fierce red. The oil on her forehead bubbled and began to melt away. As it did, her entire body began to glow eerily.
She stayed perfectly still as a dark figure emerged from her body like an exorcised spirit. She stayed still while six more left her body.
After they were all out, they hovered for a moment then they began to take the shapes of the demons they once were.
Lierre opened his eyes and saw seven demons kneeling before Prue. Prue's eyes returned to normal and the glow around her faded away. She blinked as if coming out of a trance.
She smiled as she looked down at the demons. The ritual had been a success.
* * Cole's cell * *
Cole opened his eyes and groaned. He felt like he'd been beaten about seventy times. He blinked and saw the demon standing before him. It picked him up by the back of his shirt and his feet dragged lamely on the ground.
"It's time for your big moment." The demon said to him then shimmered out with him.
* * Halliwell manor, kitchen * *
There were no costumes. There was no candy. Decorations were not hung. There was no sense of liveliness left in the Halliwell household anymore. It had died with Phoebe's broken heart, Piper's sensitivity, Leo's desire to go on, and Paige's will to do good.
They all sat at the table, completely silent. Each was contemplating their own issues. No one cared about anyone else anymore. Nobody saw the point in going on anymore.
* * The Source's chamber * *
Prue smiled as Cole kneeled before her.
"I serve you." He said, then lifted his head.
Prue motioned for the demons that were hiding in the shadows to come forward. Cole stood up and Prue surveyed the small army before her.
"You shall capture the Charmed Ones." Prue said to them. "Cole, you will trick them into accepting you back into the home, then you will meet with the other essence I have in the house. You two will make Leo incapable of saving them, then the demons shall enter. I want the Charmed Ones brought here, alive."
Cole nodded, then he and all the demons shimmered out.
Prue lowered her hood and Lierre walked from the shadows.
"This will be my greatest day."
Lierre just looked at her. She had changed. He still loved her of course, but... she was different. It seemed as if she didn't care about him at all; he was just another worthless subject.
She had changed. She was truly The Source.
* * Halliwell manor, kitchen * *
There was a knock on the door. Phoebe got up from the table. Everything stayed completely silent. She went to the door and opened it.
And she nearly fainted when she saw who was there.
"Cole." She said quietly, a giant smile forming on her face.
They hugged tightly. Cole's eyes were dashing back and forth, searching for Leo.
"How are you back?" Phoebe asked as they separated. "I thought you were - I mean, there was blood in the mausoleum and The Source's mark..."
"A demon attacked me in the mausoleum and I managed to get away." Cole lied. "I knew I couldn't come back here until I knew it was safe. I'm sorry that I was gone so long. I couldn't help it."
Phoebe, so happy Cole was alive, missed the many things wrong with Cole's story.
Piper, Paige, and Leo walked into the foyer. Leo and Piper actually smiled, happy that *something* was going the right way. Paige threw a knowing look at Cole, she could sense the essence.
"I've got a major headache." Cole lied.
"I'll get you some aspirin." Phoebe said. She kissed him then went into the kitchen. Piper followed her.
Paige and Cole threw glances at each other then walked over to Leo.
"Leo," Cole said. "I was in the Underworld."
"What?" Leo asked. "How?"
"Well, The Source - hey, what's Paige doing with that lamp?"
Leo turned to look at Paige. Paige smashed a lamp over his head. Leo swayed a little then collapsed.
Phoebe and Piper rushed into the foyer. Phoebe dropped the glass of water she was holding. It shattered on the ground. Cole looked down at the shards, then screamed.
"ATTACK!"
The seven demons all shimmered in. They began throwing low-voltage energyballs at Piper and Phoebe.
Piper froze as many as she could and Phoebe levitated to avoid them. Five of the demons then charged at them.
Two other demons grabbed Paige. They couldn't sense the essence in her.
"What the hell are you doing?" Paige screamed.
"Killing a Charmed One!" One of the demons exclaimed, then pulled out a dagger.
"Don't! I'm one of you!" Paige screamed and tried to pull away. It was useless. It was just like the Trohk situation all over again. One of the demons grabbed her by the throat and began choking her. The demon then plunged the dagger into her stomach. The demon that was choking her started to rattle her, causing the knife to twist.
Piper tried to race up the stairs, but a demon grabbed her ankle and pulled her back down. Piper fell backward down the stairs and hit her head against the floor. She was knocked unconscious and her head began to bleed.
Two demons grabbed Phoebe by the arms, then Cole kicked her in the stomach. Phoebe fell to her knees and coughed blood.
"Why are you doing this?" She asked weakly.
"I serve The Source." Cole said then backhanded her. One of the demons that had her arm turned it at an odd angle. Phoebe cried out in pain and a sick cracking noise was heard.
"Stop. Please." Phoebe said and began to cry. Cole grabbed her by the hair and yanked back her head. Phoebe let out a pained noise, but tried to stay strong.
"It can never stop." Cole whispered in her ear, then he kneed her in the stomach. He let go of her hair and she coughed more blood.
Phoebe's eyes closed and her head lolled to the side. Cole smiled, satisfied with his work, then turned to survey the scene.
He looked at Piper at the bottom of the stairs, then at Leo was unconscious and now bleeding from the head. Cole suspected one of the demons had done a little something to him.
Cole then looked at Paige's body and froze. She wasn't supposed to be like that. She wasn't supposed to be... dead.
"Who killed her?"
"We did." The demon that choked her said proudly and motioned to the demon that stabbed her.
Cole formed an energyball, then threw it at them. The demons burst into flames and Cole looked at the other demons.
"Get these three to The Source." He said and motioned to Piper, Leo, and Phoebe. He watched the demons shimmer out with them, then he shimmered himself.
Phoebe laid on her bed. She hadn't moved a whole lot since she had been to the mausoleum. She cried for the first few weeks, but now she was beyond tears. And she was alone. She couldn't talk to Piper, she was too distant, and Paige didn't understand.
She was alone. All alone.
* * The Source's chamber * *
Lierre picked up a silver bowl that had an anointing oil in it and walked over to Prue. She was standing in the center of a large broken triangle that had was made up of rocks that had been soaked in a mixture of goat's milk, blood, and melted gold. Her eyes were closed; she was centering her energy.
Lierre stopped in front of her then kneeled on one knee. He dipped his thumb in the oil and made a triangle on his forehead. He then stood up and dipped his thumb in the oil again.
"For the power of the great resurrection." Lierre said, then made the mark of The Source on Prue's forehead with the oil.
After he did, he moved aside and put the bowl down, then kneeled and closed his eyes.
Prue's eyes shot open quickly and began to glow a fierce red. The oil on her forehead bubbled and began to melt away. As it did, her entire body began to glow eerily.
She stayed perfectly still as a dark figure emerged from her body like an exorcised spirit. She stayed still while six more left her body.
After they were all out, they hovered for a moment then they began to take the shapes of the demons they once were.
Lierre opened his eyes and saw seven demons kneeling before Prue. Prue's eyes returned to normal and the glow around her faded away. She blinked as if coming out of a trance.
She smiled as she looked down at the demons. The ritual had been a success.
* * Cole's cell * *
Cole opened his eyes and groaned. He felt like he'd been beaten about seventy times. He blinked and saw the demon standing before him. It picked him up by the back of his shirt and his feet dragged lamely on the ground.
"It's time for your big moment." The demon said to him then shimmered out with him.
* * Halliwell manor, kitchen * *
There were no costumes. There was no candy. Decorations were not hung. There was no sense of liveliness left in the Halliwell household anymore. It had died with Phoebe's broken heart, Piper's sensitivity, Leo's desire to go on, and Paige's will to do good.
They all sat at the table, completely silent. Each was contemplating their own issues. No one cared about anyone else anymore. Nobody saw the point in going on anymore.
* * The Source's chamber * *
Prue smiled as Cole kneeled before her.
"I serve you." He said, then lifted his head.
Prue motioned for the demons that were hiding in the shadows to come forward. Cole stood up and Prue surveyed the small army before her.
"You shall capture the Charmed Ones." Prue said to them. "Cole, you will trick them into accepting you back into the home, then you will meet with the other essence I have in the house. You two will make Leo incapable of saving them, then the demons shall enter. I want the Charmed Ones brought here, alive."
Cole nodded, then he and all the demons shimmered out.
Prue lowered her hood and Lierre walked from the shadows.
"This will be my greatest day."
Lierre just looked at her. She had changed. He still loved her of course, but... she was different. It seemed as if she didn't care about him at all; he was just another worthless subject.
She had changed. She was truly The Source.
* * Halliwell manor, kitchen * *
There was a knock on the door. Phoebe got up from the table. Everything stayed completely silent. She went to the door and opened it.
And she nearly fainted when she saw who was there.
"Cole." She said quietly, a giant smile forming on her face.
They hugged tightly. Cole's eyes were dashing back and forth, searching for Leo.
"How are you back?" Phoebe asked as they separated. "I thought you were - I mean, there was blood in the mausoleum and The Source's mark..."
"A demon attacked me in the mausoleum and I managed to get away." Cole lied. "I knew I couldn't come back here until I knew it was safe. I'm sorry that I was gone so long. I couldn't help it."
Phoebe, so happy Cole was alive, missed the many things wrong with Cole's story.
Piper, Paige, and Leo walked into the foyer. Leo and Piper actually smiled, happy that *something* was going the right way. Paige threw a knowing look at Cole, she could sense the essence.
"I've got a major headache." Cole lied.
"I'll get you some aspirin." Phoebe said. She kissed him then went into the kitchen. Piper followed her.
Paige and Cole threw glances at each other then walked over to Leo.
"Leo," Cole said. "I was in the Underworld."
"What?" Leo asked. "How?"
"Well, The Source - hey, what's Paige doing with that lamp?"
Leo turned to look at Paige. Paige smashed a lamp over his head. Leo swayed a little then collapsed.
Phoebe and Piper rushed into the foyer. Phoebe dropped the glass of water she was holding. It shattered on the ground. Cole looked down at the shards, then screamed.
"ATTACK!"
The seven demons all shimmered in. They began throwing low-voltage energyballs at Piper and Phoebe.
Piper froze as many as she could and Phoebe levitated to avoid them. Five of the demons then charged at them.
Two other demons grabbed Paige. They couldn't sense the essence in her.
"What the hell are you doing?" Paige screamed.
"Killing a Charmed One!" One of the demons exclaimed, then pulled out a dagger.
"Don't! I'm one of you!" Paige screamed and tried to pull away. It was useless. It was just like the Trohk situation all over again. One of the demons grabbed her by the throat and began choking her. The demon then plunged the dagger into her stomach. The demon that was choking her started to rattle her, causing the knife to twist.
Piper tried to race up the stairs, but a demon grabbed her ankle and pulled her back down. Piper fell backward down the stairs and hit her head against the floor. She was knocked unconscious and her head began to bleed.
Two demons grabbed Phoebe by the arms, then Cole kicked her in the stomach. Phoebe fell to her knees and coughed blood.
"Why are you doing this?" She asked weakly.
"I serve The Source." Cole said then backhanded her. One of the demons that had her arm turned it at an odd angle. Phoebe cried out in pain and a sick cracking noise was heard.
"Stop. Please." Phoebe said and began to cry. Cole grabbed her by the hair and yanked back her head. Phoebe let out a pained noise, but tried to stay strong.
"It can never stop." Cole whispered in her ear, then he kneed her in the stomach. He let go of her hair and she coughed more blood.
Phoebe's eyes closed and her head lolled to the side. Cole smiled, satisfied with his work, then turned to survey the scene.
He looked at Piper at the bottom of the stairs, then at Leo was unconscious and now bleeding from the head. Cole suspected one of the demons had done a little something to him.
Cole then looked at Paige's body and froze. She wasn't supposed to be like that. She wasn't supposed to be... dead.
"Who killed her?"
"We did." The demon that choked her said proudly and motioned to the demon that stabbed her.
Cole formed an energyball, then threw it at them. The demons burst into flames and Cole looked at the other demons.
"Get these three to The Source." He said and motioned to Piper, Leo, and Phoebe. He watched the demons shimmer out with them, then he shimmered himself.