A/N:

Sorry for the hiatus as I was fishing for the summer, but I am back now and ready to continue all my stories and maybe even add a new one. Thank you for your patience.

Chapter 12

Monarchy of constellations

Gilded stone 20 feet tall was at the end of a long road as they arrived at one of the other clans that they were supposed to negotiate with. The golden walls stretch as far as the eye could see from left to right, cutting through thick vegetation and did not bother to blend in with the surroundings. It was though it was dropped from the sky cutting through dirt and rock creating a brilliant contrast of a glimmering barrier between the outside world. An arched gate with two very large guards wearing full armor that also had a goldish tint to it.

Astra got off her ride and approached them cautiously. Their eyes barely visible through the horizontal slats as they looked down on her. "My name is Astra Kade daughter of Roland and Lila of the Vultures, I ask permission to enter your great city and speak to your King," Astra said and kneeled down on one knee to show respect. She looked behind her and hoped the others would get the hint and they did the same.

One guard stepped forward and looked into the Titanius eyes. The beast gave a slight nod and the guard walked back to the large gate. He placed his hand in the center where a emblem that had engravings of battle scenes upon it. It glowed a bright orange color in the battle scene played out in front of them as though they were watching it on TV as noises of cranks and gears filled the forest around them. Astra stood and so did the others as they were now allowed entrance to Monarchy of the constellations.

"Thank you," Astra said as she got back on her Titanius and went in as the others followed. The dirt road that they have been riding on changed to something more magnificent. Inlay designs of swirls and other abstract designs were embedded into stone. It seemed like a fairytale as the buildings were clean and crisp and had a slight design of Dutch in its architecture. In the distance a overly designed Castle that was blinding as the sun hit it because of all the gold gilding. The villagers were not the usual suspects of a mixture of peasants and noblemen, but instead everyone seemed well maintained and managed.

"Wow," Paige's mouth was slightly agape as the word escaped.

"Yeah this is amazing," Henry said as the whole place felt serene.

"Astra why did he look at the Titanius before letting us in?" Paige asks.

"The Truth Killers, if we were lying it would have told him," Astra replied and now the name makes sense.

"Why would they not be called the lie killers?" Henry asks.

"No Lying is easy, telling the truth that goes against your nature," Astra replied but Henry was still slightly confused.

"We should probably find a inn, I will need to speak to one of his councilmen to get an audience with the King," Astra said as they continued down the beautiful street. There were shops for blacksmiths and bakeries.

"Piper would have a heyday in there," Paige said as she could not help her mouth from watering as she saw the cakes in the window.

"Do we have time to do a little shopping," Trinity asked as she too was getting hungry.

"Definitely, but be mindful here beauty is only skin deep. Be polite and tip well," Astra replied as she knew too well not to trust what your eyes see.

Piper was standing next to a holographic image of Prue as she was trying desperately to focus and tap into the power suit.

"Your thinking too hard," Prue said and Piper slumped her shoulders and let out a heavy sigh.

"First you tell me to concentrate and now your saying I am doing it too much, would you make up your mind on what neurosis I should go with?" Piper asks but it came out very sarcastic.

"Listen I know this is foreign to you, using technology but it is quite effective and will give you more power then you have," Prue replied.

"The power I have is fine, it defeated the source and the ultimate power," Piper said as she was not comfortable tapping into something she did not understand fully.

"I thought I was the pride one, didn't you have help?" Prue asks and Piper paused for a moment as seeing her dead sister's personality showing through a program was a little frightening. "Sorry I know her personality profile," she said noticing the expression.

"Yeah see that's just creepy and yes I had help, I know that I am just saying..

"Piper you about to fight things that are more powerful than the source, more cruel and more cunning then you have faced before. You need to do this," Prue cut her off and Piper took in a deep breath and tried again. She turned her hand so the palm was facing her and thought of the fireball. After a few seconds it formed and now she was more puzzled at the fact that her hand was not on fire.

"How is my hand not hot?" Piper asks.

"Chemosynthesis Bacteria," Prue replied.

"What?" Piper asks.

"Deep-sea creatures that live near Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vents, their chemistry allows them to withstand the heat as well as a bacterial soup that would kill anything else. Melinda was able to utilize DNA and genetics from those creatures to protect her from a assortment of heat and other chemical reactions," Prue replied.

"Wow she is smart," Piper said impressed as she held the fireball on her hand.

"Smart is an understatement," Prue said and Piper tossed it at a tree.

"Ok so what else can I do?" Piper asks as she was now ready to embrace the technology. Prue smiled and was also ready to teach her.

"Teleportation, you have access to the armory therefore you have access to a variety of weapons," Prue replied.

"One problem I don't have a clue on how to fire a gun," Piper said.

"Will not to be a smart-ass, you just pull the trigger, but you will not need to know how. There is an automatic aiming system built-in so when you see your target the bullets would just go to it," Prue said and a round circular target appeared in the distance. "Just think of an image of a gun something you seen recently, it could be from a movie, TV show or magazine. The internal program will match that image from the database of the armory and then teleported it to you."

Piper closed her eyes and the last time she has seen a gun was in a movie she saw with Leo. It only took a few moments for it to teleported into her hand and although it was not identical, it was pretty darn close. It was a small hand gun.

"Ok what now?" Piper asks as she held it away from her like it was a dirty diaper.

"First let's talk about safety so you don't blow your foot off," Prue said and showed her the safety switch on the side that was on. She then turned it off and got behind her to help her aim. "Look at the target and think of it being dead, then fire," Prue replied as she did what she asks. The gun fired sending a very noticeable echo through the forest and the bullet hit its target dead center. Piper moved back a little as she was not used to the recoil. "Now fire it over here but keep the image of the target in your minds eye," she continued and Piper did what she asks. She fired one more bullet in the complete opposite direction of the target and although she could not see the change in direction. The target was hit dead center again.

"Oh my god," Piper said completely amazed at how that even worked.

"A new targeting system developed by her, not technically new image targeting has been around for a while she just made it better. It works in conjunction with thought, it's not enough to just imagine the target, you have to want it to be dead. The bullets are filled with an assortment of potions, chemicals anything that will kill anything. Eventually you'll be able to choose your bullets depending on what you're fighting and it will happen in the blink of an eye," Prue said as now Piper was smiling at the possibilities. She closed her eyes and imagine something she's always wanted to fire, a Gatlin gun. It teleported in front of her and even Prue was a little nervous as Piper grabbed hold of the handles on both sides that also have the triggers. She squeezed and the bullets went flying, cutting small trees in half and causing dust and debris to fill the air as Leo ran up to them.

"What the hell?" he asks as he saw his wife with the biggest smile he has ever seen on her face sense they got married and had their children.

"That was fun," Piper said as her entire body was vibrating.

"We might have a problem," Prue said as Piper just kept smiling.

"Is that a Gatlin gun?" Leo asks as he walked over to it, as his excitement for the new toy was beginning to show.

"Yeah we have a problem," Prue said and rolled her eyes.

Melinda was packing things up as her brothers were doing the same to get ready for the ride ahead of them. She stopped as she could hear some rustling in the trees around them. Even the dogs ears rose as it could sense something was approaching. Without saying a word she vanished.

"Hay where did Mel go?" Chris asks noticing that she was gone and the dog was barking loudly in a certain direction.

"Maybe she had to go to the bathroom if she can even do that, my guess it would probably be a diamond that comes out considering how uptight she is," Wyatt replied and Chris was not amused.

"What's wrong little fella, did mommy go somewhere without you?" Chris asks the new companion until he to felt like something was watching them.

"You boys are a long way from home," A man said that came out from around a tree. His long scraggly hair blend in nicely to his attire as holes and rips showed the lack of hygiene. When he grinned it was hard to see teeth over the grime as more men came out from behind the trees.

"Boys, you look like boys to me," Wyatt said as he stood next to his brother. The man just snared slightly and pulled out a sharp knife and began to pick his teeth with it.

"Something tells me that hasn't been cleaned in a while," Chris whispered to his brother.

"What the hell is that?" the man said noticing the odd looking dog.

"What do you want?" Wyatt asks getting to the point.

"Well I like your cloths and your ride, and that pretty little thing that was with you, looks like she ran but we will find her," the man replied and Wyatt clenches fist even though he did not get along with his new sister she was still family and for some reason he felt rage build in him. Wyatt saw Mel teleport in behind the group of men and her dark sunglasses covered what her eyes would have revealed. She smiled slightly as though she was enjoying herself. The dog stopped barking and even backed up a the little. "So we can do this easy, or the way I like it?" the man asks as the others were preparing themselves for a fight.

"Something tells me you're not going to like it," Chris replied.

Melinda open the palms of her hands as a whip like device teleported into them. On the tips were staggering sharp blades that went from large to small. With one fluid movement she raised them both and the length of the whips expanded 10 times their original length. The blades glimmered in the sun as they pass through the beams of light that the trees allowed. All this happened quietly as the men were unaware of the impending death that was coming. She swung one around her back to give it momentum as she started to move the other, it was I in hand coordination perfection. The first one swung out in a wide array, cutting through trees like they were butter and then five men on one side by cutting them in half. Before the other men could realize what was going on the last thing they saw was a array of sharp razors coming at them as her other hand repeated the motions of the first. Everything was silent as the leader of the group was untouched by the first and second wave stood looking into those dark sunglasses. Melinda walked towards him dragging her killing device behind her as the sound of cracks and bends bridge the canals of their ears and trees began to fall behind her. The men she cut in half began to separate as their faces were stuck in the last expression. Wyatt and Chris swallowed hard as the site of seeing human beings sliced and diced is something you never get used to. The man backed away from her as she approached but then stumbled over a log and landed on his back and was now face-to-face with the odd looking dog that tilted its head while raising its long ears.

"Wait I have gold, you don't have to kill me," he pleaded but Melinda was unmoved by the attempt.

"Mel let him go," Chris said but she kept moving towards him. She reached down and grabbed him by the throat and using her suit was able to generate strength of five men. She lifted him up so that his feet were no longer touching the solid ground he was just laying upon. She then took him over to a tree and pulled something out of her pocket. It wrapped around his neck attaching him to the tree to keep him from going anywhere.

"Who sent you?" Mel asks as the man struggled to free himself.

"No one I swear," he replied and Mel glanced over to the truth killer. It shook its head no and she knew he was lying and the man knew he was discovered.

"I don't know his name he just said to come and kill you," the man replied.

"Well apparently he didn't give you all the correct info of how not so easy we are to kill," Mel said.

"I won't tell him anything," the man said as he continued to struggle.

"You're right, you won't tell him anything, you will not be telling anyone anything. But you will tell me what he looked like." Mel said as her new companion grabbed hold of the man's baby-making device and both Chris and Wyatt could not help but grab in between their legs as the dog hung from the mans.

"Please if I do he will kill me," the man pleaded.

"Cowards die many times before their deaths, now talk," she said as the dog bit down harder causing the man to scream.

"His face was covered with the robe, a white robe, that's all I know, I swear it," he said while trying to get the dog off of him.

"I believe you," Mel said and walked away.

"Mel aren't you going to let him go?" Wyatt asks as they could hear a loud scream coming from the man and did nothing as the dog returned chewing on something.

"No I don't let anyone go," Mel replied.

"What is he eating?" Chris asks not really wanting to know.

"I'm guessing lunch," Mel replied and got on her ride as her brothers wrinkled her face at the thought of what the dog just swallowed.

To be continued...