Arthur's notes:

Embenoit, sorry about the mix up in the last chapter, I lost track at one point of who was connected to who. I will try to get the fixed soon and I am glad you liked the music. I forget to add a song out on my website for when they are doing the prayer/spell, but it is out there now.

Dalin Asher Shongili, sg90210, rmed-darkangel, LeoPiper, LindaNaley, Lucy, charmedxy, WyaRose, charmed100, Joleca, charmed3000. You guys rock and thanks for the reviews.

There seems to be a problem with this site when it comes to updating existing stories, but I found a work around until they get it fixed.

Here is the work around in case any of you need it.

All you needed to do was change the word "properties" in the URL of the story editor to "content." So click on your fic like you normally would to add a chapter and while on the error page just change that word and POOF! It works!

Chapter 21

Second Stage

The Lions

Prue was beside Piper trying to sleep as they waited for their time to come again. Phoebe was next to Paige as she drank water and leaned her head back on the hard wall. Paige looked so different then when they first met, the once sarcastic and unsure woman was now strong but it had a price. Her eyes were not as bright and skin not as perfect as it bore scars of the last 8 months, not just external. Phoebe put her hand into Paige's and they looked at each other for a while without saying a word. "If we can survive this, we can survive anything," Phoebe thought as the Doctore walked over to Prue and Piper.

"It is time," He said and gave them back their armor.

"Piper its time honey," Prue said softly as she stood up and waited for Piper to wake.

"That just wasn't enough sleep," Piper replied groggily and grunted when she moved her stitched up leg that was now stiff. Prue took her arm and helped the aching sister up. Piper lipped to the wall and leaned against it for support as Prue helped put on her armor.

"I got it Prue," Piper said with a laugh as her oldest sister was fussing with the straps on her leg armor, making sure it was tight.

"Sorry Piper I just don't want anything to happen to you guys," Prue said and looked up into Pipers smiling face.

"We made it this far Prue, we are not meant to die here that much I know," Piper answered and took a few agonizing steps to work out her stiff leg.

The sisters were taken to the gate as the men hit their swords against their shields.

"I am worried for the Lions," Melito said as the sisters stood in front of the gate. Piper smiled back at him, if it wasn't for him giving her the wedding ring he found, she would probably be dead. Phoebe helped Paige up and they joined Piper and Prue at the gate.

The sisters were taken to the center of the sands again as four metal plates about 10 feet apart from each other were sunk into the ground. There was an ankle shackle and all of them got a chill as they were locked into place. Swords stuck out of the ground 10 feet ahead of them.

"This is getting ridiculous," Piper said as a man put his hands over her eyes as did other men for the other sisters. "Oh god they going to kill us," Piper thought and her breathing stopped as she heard something hit the ground in front of her and the sound of a foot kicking sand. He removed his hand and backed away from her while the others did the same.

"There is a key in the sand, find it and get to your weapons before the Lions rip you apart," The guard said and left the sands with the others. The sisters were about 5 feet apart from each other as Piper began to look down hoping to find it fast, but she could not start until the horn blew. To her side a platform rose and 3 Lions were in a cage about 30 feet away from her and clearly hungry. The chain only gave them a few feet of slack and she prayed he was not an ass and kicked out of her reaching. The horn blew and Piper went down to her knees as the cage opened slowly while the Lions roared and clawed at it.

"Come on dammit where is it?" Piper yelled as her sisters were doing the same. The gate was opened enough for one lion to get out and it moved slowly at first, measuring its meal to come. But something caught Piper's eye on the sand, a beam of light and when she placed her hand over it she could feel the key underneath it. Andy had tipped his silver serving tray to reflect the sun as he knew were the guard kicked the key and once Piper grabbed it he flipped the tray back over hoping no one saw him. Fortunately no one did as they were all too interested in what was happening on the sands. The Lion went into a quick stride as Piper fussed with the lock, "Dammit come on," She yelled and felt the lock give. She tossed the key to Paige who was next to her and took off running to the swords. "Paige!"

Paige caught the key and undid her lock as the Lions were now interested in a running meal.

"Piper behind you!" She yelled and tossed the key to Phoebe.

"Fuck!" Phoebe screamed as the large cats were gaining on Piper and she undid her lock tossing the key to Prue. "Hay you overgrown kitty cats get me!" Phoebe yelled and one turned around, "Oh shit," She said and started running the other way as the lion went after her. Piper made it to one of the swords and did a slide as the lion leaped over her while another was getting ready to pounce. She could see Paige coming towards her along with Prue as Phoebe was running the other way but double back as the lion slid into the wall as she did a hard turn. The lion leaped at Piper with its claws out as the one behind her got its footing. She gripped her sword tight and waited for it to come to her but forgot about the one behind her. Prue knew Piper would get the one in front but not the one in back and she grabbed a sword from the sand as Paige did the same. Phoebe was losing her foot race as the lion was almost on top of her.

"Phoebe down!" Paige yelled as she threw her sword at the lion. Phoebe did not question and did a slide as the sword went end over end over her head and into the chest of the beast. Phoebe got to her feet and looked at the lion then her baby sister, "Nice shot," She said and pulled out the sword.

"Piper!" Prue yelled and ran towards her as both lions were now in midair. Prue threw her sword but missed as the lion came down hard on Piper causing her to land on her stomach nocking the breath out of her. The hungry animal was about to bite hard on her neck until Prue's sharp kick in the ribs made it change its appetite for something a little larger. The other lion was now in front of Piper who was still trying to recover from the blow and their eyes met. She could see Paige and Phoebe running towards her and decided to keep it's attention on her while the other lion was now focused on Prue who had no weapon. Piper moved into a standing position as Prue backed away from her adversary. Right before Phoebe and Paige were going to strike the sound of roaring lions made them look over their shoulder as three more were released.

"You got to be kidding me," Phoebe said and looked at Paige who also was a little frightened at the numbers.

"So what is the plan?" Paige asks as she backed up.

"First we shit ourselves," Phoebe answered and backed up with her.

"What's Second?"

"That's all I got right now."

Piper's patients were growing thin as the lion seemed to be licking its lips. "Come on!" She yelled and swung her sword at it. The lion put out a paw and swiped at the sword while Prue looked behind her. There was a wall and she ran for it as the lion followed her. She climbed the wall with her feet and did a back flip as the lion tried to stop its self before hitting it hard. A loud thud was muffled as the crowd was screaming while Prue landed her on feet and turned to face the lion that was dazed.

"Dammit I need a weapon," Prue yelled and a piece of cloth landed in front of her. She looked up with much discussed and saw a woman smiling back at her. "Thanks," Prue said clearly not happy with the woman's help, but it would have to do and she picked up the four foot piece and stretched it between her hands. The lion was getting to its feet as Piper was going to put an end to her standoff. She swiped knowing the beast would swipe back and once it did she moved in close trying to avoid the two inch claws from the other paw. She made her way to its side as it adjusted and got a stab into its rib cage as it swiped at her arm. She felt the hot sting and after letting out a scream while grabbing her arm she left her sword firmly planted into its side. Prue's plan was risky at best, waiting for it to lunge and rap the cloth around its neck in attempts to strangle it. But the lion was twice her size and nothing but muscles. She did not hear her sister scream as Phoebe and Paige were now face to face with three lions of their own.

"Ok Phoebe we need to separate them," Paige said as one approached in front of the others.

"How?"

"I run they follow, I will try to get to Piper and Prue."

"Ok but what if only one goes?"

"Then your screwed," Paige replied with a snort.

"Thanks Paige."

"You know what I mean, ok here goes nothing," Paige said and took off in a run. Two of the lions took chase and Phoebe was now facing one but she knew there was no way Paige could out run them but something caught her eye. It was a large net near the wall just hanging there and next to it was a torch. The net looked covered in something that looked like oil. "Paige wall!" She yelled while pointing to it. Paige turned and saw where she was pointing and although she was not sure what she was looking at, she ran to it as Phoebe did the same. Piper avoided a very angry lion that was hurt but not dead yet and looked down the sands noticing her sisters running to the wall with three lions chasing them." Oh god," She said and heard Prue scream. When she turned around Prue was on top of the lion with a piece of cloth around its neck but the lion managed to bite her hard on her arm that had the protective armor on it, but the force was enough to cause damage. Prue managed to get the lion on its side and she wrapped her legs around its torso as she pulled with all her might on the cloth around its neck. Piper ran to her but the lion was thrashing about so badly that it was too dangerous to get close, she needed her sword and looked back at the lion she stabbed that was on the ground breathing heavily, then she looked down the sands as her other two sisters were in a fight for their lives.

Paige got the wall first as Phoebe used her sword to keep them at bay but knew it would not last long.

"OK what now?" Paige said as she looked at the net.

"Put it over the torch and then threw it at them."

"What?"

"Just do it Paige," Phoebe demand as a lion took hold of her sword with its mouth. Its strength was too much and she lost her grip and the lion tossed it to the side. Paige took the net off the wall and moved it over the torch causing it to erupt in flames, she whipped it around her body to get a good threw in and to keep the flames from catching her on fire. Paige could feel the heat coming off the net as it whipped around her body. Two lions jumped at them and she threw the net in their path as Phoebe dove to the side to avoid both the lions and fiery net. The smell of burnt fur was first as the two lions were now engulfed in the net as the smell of burnt flesh came second. The other lion took advantage of the distracted sisters and bit hard into Phoebe's leg and started to pull her away from Paige.

"Paige!" Phoebe cried as the teeth dug in.

"NO!" The baby sister yelled and went for the sword as the other two lions were being burnt alive in the net.

Piper pulled her sword out of the lion's side but before she could get to Prue she felt something grab her ankle. The lion had a little life still in it and used its claws to grab her ankle and make her fall hard to the ground. Prue was losing her fight to the beast as it was to strong and getting free while her hands were losing feeling from all the pressure she put on them. Piper managed to get free with only a small gash and ran to help her older sister.

Paige got to Phoebe and before she could stab the lion it lunged at her, landing on top of her. She used the sword to keep its teeth from biting into her as its claws dug into her already wounded shoulder causing the stitches to come loose. Phoebe got to her feet and frantically looked for anything to kill it with, while her leg was bleeding badly. The net was still on fire and the lions looked dead, so she picked up some sand hoping it would be a buffer from the heat and grabbed it. But it only helped for a couple of seconds as her hands could feel the hot fire. She screamed as she ran to Paige and put the net around the lion's head. It was enough to distract the lion and it let go of the sword and backed away, trying to free itself from its fiery cage. Paige then plunged her sword into the lions back, pinning it to the sands. Phoebe was crying as her hands began to blister.

Prue lost her grip and the lion turned quickly biting into her unprotected arm, she screened and through her blurred vision could see Piper bring down her sword into the lions head, pinning it to the sands. Prue pried her arm out of the lion's mouth as Piper helped her up. Both sisters were breathing heavily and looked around for Phoebe and Paige.

"Phoebe are you ok?" Paige asks knowing Phoebe's hands were red and blistered.

"Shit that hurts," She answered and put her hands between her legs not knowing what to do with them as tears streamed down her face. Piper and Prue had run down to check on them as Paige rubbed Phoebe's back.

"Are you guys ok?" Piper asks as she went over to Phoebe.

"Ask me in a week," Phoebe answered trying to laugh but it just came out as a whimper.

A guard came out to them.

"You have some time until your final fight," He said and guided them to the holding area.

To be continued….

Arthur's notes:

Next chapter is the third stage, The gladiators.