Part Eleven
Summary: The Avatars turned down Cole's request to stop Richard Montana using his magic after he had a vision of him doing evil. Taking matters in to his own hands, he returns to 21st century Earth and threatens Richard to stop using magic. Cole is punished by the Avatars for interfering and is forced to live back on earth as Belthazor, he tries confronting Richard at his estate but he has the backing of the Charmed ones and Cole is forced to re-think his plan, he soon realises Leo is an Avatar and Richard has gone back to potion making in order to deal with the threat.
The Underworld
In a dark maze of volcanic caverns and chambers is home and base of operations to the most evil of beings. The centre of the underworld is a large chamber illuminated by fire torches and was once home to The Source, ruler and most powerful of all evil. The occupants of the underworld refer to The Source's chamber as 'the throne room' and only enter when given permission to do so by The Seer, a chief advisor who has power to see in to the future. Inside the throne room, the dark skinned seer has called a meeting in the absence of The Source for the demonic hierarchy.
"Evil needs a face." The Seer proclaims to those standing before. "Without a true leader, we are weaker, we are divided..."
"With The Source gone, we are the leaders." A tall, thin, balding man with a goatee beard shouts, stepping of the crowd. He was dressed in a golden, cloaked robe with a pentagram on the back and there were two more dressed in the same attire.
"An excellent suggestion my lord..." The Seer responded. "But I fear you failed the Source when all attempts at destroying the Power of Three lead to the demise of two of your kind."
"They were old and weak, the strongest of us survived…" The challenger continued.
"…And pledged your loyalties to Tyne." A female voice from the crowd shouted.
The balding man turned from The Seer to see a pale, slim brown eyed woman with black hair step forward. She was very attractive in her human form and had a birthmark on her left cheek.
"Therefore confirming to us all that with two of your order gone, you are not the force you once were." The woman continued, folding her arms and staring directly at her rival.
The golden cloaked man, obviously the leader of what remained of his order simply stared in disbelief that this woman could possibly challenge him. "You're not stupid enough to challenge us, are you Klea?" The demon questioned.
"There is no Source; unlike you Vorm I take my blood oath seriously." Klea began to gain in confidence and smirked as she circled the demon she believed a traitor. "Any claim you and your order had in leading us vanquished with your oath."
"Choose your next words carefully. You were powerful when there were seven of you, but you are all that's left of the brotherhood." The self proclaimed incumbent threatened.
"Actually, there are two of us." A distant familiar voice could be heard, long absent from the underworld.
The demon hierarchy that gathered for the meeting began to look at one another and finally they looked behind them as black cloaked man made his way through the crowd. He stooped short of Vorm and took his place next his female rival, removing his hood and revealing himself to be…
"Belthazor!" Vorm angrily shouted as he grabbed the intruder. "I'll kill you traitor!"
"Hello, Vorm." Cole responded. "It's been a while."
Klea said nothing; she was clearly as shocked and outraged to see him as anyone else and seemed to have no problem with Vorm ending his existence.
"Let him go..." the Seer ordered.
Vorm turned his head from Cole for a moment and angrily shouted at the Seer. "Are you giving me orders, witch!?"
Sensing his opportunity, Cole grabbed Vorms' hands that were still placed on him, span him around and threw him at his fellow golden cloaked brethren. As Vorm and his now angry colleagues looked to react, Cole took a step back and lit an energy bolt in the palm of his right hand. "Hear me out Vorm!" Cole shouted as three enemies started to conjure up fire balls. "I didn't come to fight…" He told him. "Or claim the throne." He said, looking at the Seer.
Vorm stayed calm for a moment and motioned at his two colleagues to do the same. "Ok Belthazor, you have my curiosity for moment." He stated, as he and the other two allowed their fireballs to extinguish and Cole did the same with his energy bolt.
Cole breathed a sigh of relief, "The Infernal Council does not have the authority it once did." The demon stated to his three challengers.
"Neither does the Brotherhood of the Thorn." Klea interrupted to her former fellow member.
"I know, I didn't come here to reunite us." He could see she was still as suspicious of him as ever.
"Then why did you come back Belthazor? To die?" Vorm asked the demon he clearly had history with.
The former Avatar nodded, "Maybe, I don't expect to live much longer…" He quipped.
"You won't if you continue with riddles." Krea informed him as her patience with him started to wear thin. .
The Seer was clearly enjoying the atmosphere in the chambers; she hadn't felt the need to involve herself as her former master had returned from exile. Had she foreseen his arrival? And why he was here?
"I came to raise an army." Cole finally told his now stunned audience. He nodded to confirm he had said what they thought and walked over to Vorm, looking him in the eye. "There's a new threat, and he's very powerful."
