Aftermath

A still shaking Prue who could still only walk supported in Matt's arms, was escorted from the temple and gently taken to a sunny and sheltered spot located as far from the temple's entrance as they could get. Still trapped in the nightmare that was the other world, she could not relax. It still dominated her mind, even as she knew that she was home with her family and Matt. She continued to breathe rapidly, could not stop trembling and seemed only partially aware of all those around her. Only Matt and her sister's presence provided any comfort.

Alongside her, only Matt and Piper could both hold her and maintain contact. Phoebe and Paige could not maintain contact with Prue as their greater sensitivity made it possible for the nightmare to jump into their minds. So they took it in turns, to offer comfort for as long as they could before releasing their touch as the nightmare threatened to overwhelm their defences and infect their own minds.

The brief touch from the monster's mind still echoed inside Prue. And like those who suffer from night terrors, she found the nightmare still brutally intruding into her conscious mind. Like an invading presence, it refused to be forgotten and Prue had to constantly fight for her sanity. Both Phoebe and Paige were especially concerned as they could clearly feel and see the horror that infected her.

Like her now white hair, it seemed that something else had followed her from that other world. Only this would drive her insane or kill her if something was not rapidly done to expel the nightmare. As Matt and her highly concerned sisters looked for help, it arrived in the form of the three Elders.

Standing around her, reaching past Matt and Piper, each Elder placed both of their hands on Prues' head and concentrated. Healing light surrounded their hands and then spread out to sink into her head. Her eyes opened impossibly wide and then slowly closed as a look of calm spread over her face. Gradually her breathing slowed, became deeper, more regular and she finally stopped trembling. Lastly she reopened her eyes and focused on first Matt and as she looked around, her sisters. Matt and then Piper, Phoebe and Paige could see that little if any of the nightmare remained. Then even that small bit vanished. No longer needed, the Elders removed their hands and stepped back.

As all three Elders stepped away, Piper turned and too her shock, could clearly see some of Prue's nightmare in their eyes. All three Elders then relaxed and started to breathe slowly and deeply. Unable to look anywhere else, Piper watched first with concern, then relief as their faces regained their usual look of serenity.

Alongside her, Phoebe and Paige celebrated as now they could hold onto their sister without the nightmare trying to infect them. Still held by Matt, Prue now found it difficult to breathe as all three clung to her. Something she didn't care about as the sheer delight in being alive, to be free of the nightmare, to be with her husband and her sisters energised her.

Once again the senior Elder spoke quietly to Piper "We have dulled the memories of that other world and removed the nightmare that followed Prue back here. Like all nightmares, what happened in that world and the dark emotions that it spawned will now be mostly forgotten".

She smiled gently as concern for the Elders still clearly remained visible on Piper's face. Piper had to ask "What about you? I know what you did. You took the nightmare from Prue's mind and into your own". "Yes, we did" replied the Elder, "but each of us only took a part of it. And because it came from your sister's mind and as such, it was only truly effective in her. The lesser portion each of us absorbed will be easily dealt with. There are other Elders and Whitelighters who will help".

After a pause of several seconds, finally Piper turned to look back at her sisters, Leo and Matt. And then as joy exploded through her, she too grabbed Prue to wrap her arms around her.

Elsewhere

Tee who was holding on to his gently crying wife, was also watching the small army over her shoulder. There was little celebration when there should have been. They had won a great victory but the price had been so high. Over 60 witches and Whitelighters from their little army had died this day and most of the survivors knew at least one of these. And to make it worse, all the covens now knew that almost 300 more witches and so many more mortals had died in the many battles over the last few days. Battles that had been spread from Thailand to Vietnam and even two as far North as China. Battles that the Queen had orchestrated to kill as many of her old enemies as possible.

And now they had time to relax, the memories and pain from the two massive battles and the portal confrontation came back to haunt many. Like those who had survived battle before, the trauma associated with fear, pain and death now surfaced and had to be dealt with. Some found it easy, others difficult. And many buried it, either for it to slowly fade away over time or surface without warning later when the circumstances allowed it.

As Tee remembered what someone had once said, "The only thing worse than a battle lost is a battle won", he finally fully understood what they had meant.

Only now was the full extend of the deaths over the last few days becoming known. The number of demons escaping their prisons had escalated rapidly and many mortals had been killed as a result. Desperate to regain their former power, the demons had recklessly killed those who they still thought of as nothing more than food. Only witches and their magic were preferred.

The Asian covens that had been unable or unwilling to join the last battle, had taken heavy casualties during the previous few days as the creed forced them to fight. And that so many had died was because the Queen had commanded her demons to kill as many witches as possible, to give her the greatest chance of victory in the battle she had known was coming.

The fighting covens had also taken many casualties. Casualties that would have been so much greater if it hadn't been for the Whitelighters healing abilities and Paige's spell. So many more would have died. Even the covens who had not lost any members, felt the pain. While their physical wounds had been healed and even the mental trauma eased, the memories associated with these wounds were still fresh and they would need time to heal. Even those who had escaped injury, found themselves affected by what they had seen and endured.

Across the hillside, humans talked, grieved, gave comfort or just listened and gradually the pain began to fade for most.

The Queen was dead and only a few demons had escaped. Most of these would probably hide and the few who would not, would be easily dealt with once they made their presence felt. Only the many demons still imprisoned could offer any real future threat. And with the Queen vanquished, it was one the local covens should be able to deal with. As Tee looked around he realised that the bonds forged today would mean that the foreign covens were still more than willing to help. And that the Asian covens would help them when it was their turn to fight evil.

To one side stood the small group of the surviving Banned Ones. They too were grieving. Without the creed to help them fight and determined to prove themselves, they had been especially vulnerable. Many of them had died today and a still bitter Kai and others were making sure that no one forgot. Trapped between both Keow's and Mere's deaths, Kai was finding it very difficult to cope with either. And she had to mute her own grief as both her mother and aunt had lost their mother.

Also waiting in looser groups, were the foreign witches who had come so far to fight for a cause that was not directly theirs. They too were quiet, with many also trying to cope with either the death or hurt of family and friends. These covens in particular wondered what would happen next. How would they explain these deaths to their families, friends and the authorities back in their own countries.

Across the hillside in front of him, Tee saw the covens begin to slowly breakup. First the youngest witches but then the rest, had now began to once again move from their covens. To talk, give comfort and grieve with witches from other covens, countries and to his pleasant surprise, even the banned ones. Looking at how easily they talked and interacted, he found hope beginning to rise within him.

As his wife looked out over the now mingling witches, she turned to look at him with a question clearly written in her eyes. He gently nodded agreement. Nok gently let go of his hand and quietly walked over to join her daughter and another group of witches, Asian and foreign who were talking to the banned ones and each other.

He paused, then smiled as he spotted another louder group. Most prominent was a tall Russian, an animated Australian and that the group was universally male and obviously muggle. For the first time he wondered if any of the women in the army were muggles and presumably married to the few male witches present. As he drew near to join them and could hear what was being discussed, he almost laughed out loud as he realised that it was about forming a muggle married to a witch support group.

Something special had been planted today, something that could grow beyond borders. Something he suddenly decided that he and Nok would encourage. Behind him, unnoticed, an Elder who had been carefully watching him as well as the Russian and Australian, smiled.

To one side, having spent two animated minutes talking with the other Elder and most of the Whitelighters, the senior Elder once again approached the Halliwell sisters and their men.

"We now have another important problem to deal with. The mortal world has somehow detected that something titanic has happened here and they are investigating. The Cambodian air-force has just dispatched three aircraft to investigate and they will arrive in less than 20 minutes. Closer, helicopters with soldiers are also being readied. We have to get everyone home or another disaster will happen. And then we will try to hide what happened here as much as possible. I am afraid that destroying the temple will be the only task we can do before they arrive. Hiding the evidence from the fights on the plain is impossible given the time we have."

After a pause, she added "Your Agent Keyes is becoming a real nuisance. You need to know that he has agents looking for you in San Francisco. Its early morning there now. And he is here in Thailand, working with a Captain Na Ayutthaya who is now also causing us great difficulty".

Piper wryly smiled as for once, the Elders were the ones having to deal with all the problems. Something that was easily noticed and understood by the Elder.

"Well" replied Piper, "I suppose its time to get back home and make sure Keyes' agents get a good look at us". Turning, she walked over to join a standing and much happier looking Prue. She once again wrapped her arms around her sister and gave her a really good hug. Letting go, she stepped back and said "Its time we went home. It seems Homeland Security is looking for us and if they find out that we are absent, its going to get even more complicated. Again!".

As Prue wrapped her arms around Phoebe to wish her goodbye, she snorted as Phoebe returned the hug with considerable force. As they relaxed their grip on each other, Phoebe pulled back enough to look her older sister in the face and then at Prue's long blond hair. Phoebe lifted her right hand to gently bring a handful of Prue's hair closer. "This is going to take some time to get used to. Still I have some good dyes back at the Manor ?". Prue laughed quietly and replied "We will see. After all, a professional dye job like this would cost a fortune".

Meanwhile Paige finally remembered the other problem that still had to be dealt with and there was little time to discuss it. She stepped out to grab the Elder's arm as she remembered the Creed and that it had to change. In an demanding tone "What about the Creed?. After all these years, surely its time for an update ?".

The Elder turned from a quiet study of the surviving banned ones. At least they were no longer isolated. Their efforts and sacrifice during the battles had earned them respect and for the most part, acceptance. She then sighed and replied "Yes we know. It does need to be updated. Everything has changed since the first sisters developed it so many years ago. Then it was needed but now the demons have been defeated. They will never be the same threat ever again.

And human society has changed and witches have changed with it. So the Creed will change. What into, I don't know. Just remember that in the magical world as one threat is defeated, another will rise to replace it. I can not guarantee how long peace will be with you".

After a pause, she continued "And remember the Creed has its good points. It allows the covens to combine their magic so much more easily. A lot more witches would have died today if they hadn't been able to do that".

Paige demanded "But the Creed also forced them to fight, even when they knew they would lose. How many witches died over the last few months because of that?". The Elder briefly closed her eyes, then turned away. This was one question that she did not want to answer.

Looking across at the loose groups of Asian witches, she said "Like it was so many centuries ago, its not up to us. This is something the local witches will have to solve for themselves".

Paige had one last question. One she knew that many others wanted an answer to. "Why did Keow and the other six have to die?. We were able to bring Prue back for which I am so grateful. Why couldn't we save the others ?"

Once again the Elder turned to look at Paige and then at several other witches who had quietly joined them and clearly wanted an answer as well. Nok, now alongside Paige stared straight at the Elder, the unspoken challenge clear. This time the Elder did not look away.

In a quiet voice she said "There is always a price. To close that portal, that price was their lives. Nothing else would have worked. If there was any other way. If my life would have been enough." She then paused, finally adding "I am sorry".

Looking at Paige, she added "And there is something else you and your sisters should know. The spell all four of you cast to vanquish the demons also helped to heal those hurt and saved many life's. And that your still dormant healing power is the reason why this happened. It is an ability you will gain one day".

Neither Paige, Nok or any of the others said anything. All stared at the Elder whose face was showed nothing but sympathy and some shame. Silently first Nok and then the other witches turned away to return to their covens. Lastly Paige also turned away, to return to her sisters.

Behind them, unnoticed, several tears slowly fell down the Elder's cheeks, one after the other. That the Elders had lost so much of the witches trust and respect hurt deeply, especially as there had been no other choice. And she knew that it would take a very long time to regain that trust. And not only from the witches. Also the shame she felt about her role and that of the other Elders in the battles and especially the sacrifice of Keow and her comrades. This would also have to be deeply reconsidered. At least the Whitelighters were now held in the highest of regard. Their actions had saved many witches lives. And that many of them had died, showed proven devotion.

Elsewhere the other two Elders and the remaining Whitelighters began to organise everyone's return home and then the temple's destruction. They had little time and much to do.

Quietly and with care, Whitelighters approached each group. They would help the covens by providing cover stories to explain the deaths. Traffic accidents, natural causes or acts of God would at least explain and hide what happened from the authorities. Since these deaths were spread over a large part of several regions, it should not attract undue attention.

The memories of what they had endured and accomplished were theirs. This each coven, witch and muggle would have to come to terms with what had happened. At least they had won.

And unsaid by the Elders, was their growing concern regarding the authorities increasing involvement. Agent Keyes was not the only person now actively investigating them and they had already found out more than the Elders or even the Cleaners could deal with.

The considerable number of battles between the Asian covens and the newly awakened demons over the previous few days had been impossible to hide. Far too many mortals and witches had been hurt or killed. With hind sight it was clear that these battles had been orchestrated by the Queen to kill as many witches as possible. And she had cared little about hiding her troops from the mortal world.

Only desperate action by the Elders and Cleaners had prevented positive proof of the magical world and demons from been proven beyond any doubt. However suspicion was now rampant across a number of scientific, police, military and political mortals. It had been impossible to influence such a wide range of people. So the only course of action had been to hide or alter any evidence that would prove beyond any doubt the existence of demons, witches and magic.

And it was about to get so much more complicated. That the Cambodian authorities had somehow detected what was happening here was deeply alarming. And they had responded with impressive if unwelcome speed. The three aircraft that had been dispatched, were rapidly getting closer. They would arrive within minutes and while the Elders could cloud the pilots minds, the planes surveillance instruments and those that would soon be following, would be far more difficult. And helicopters with troops and investigators were being readied. If the witch army was still present when they arrived then it would be a disaster.

It was definitely time to get everyone home.

And the Queen's temple had to be destroyed so what lay within would never be discovered. At least they had enough time, barely enough time, to accomplish this. However the scars from the battles on the plains, the forest and the path below were too large to hide in the time they had remaining. Somehow they would have to find a way to hide the truth from the evidence the mortals would find below.

Quickly the Whitelighters began to orb the covens home.

Ammara after a quick talk with Leo, approached Prue and Matt. Prue had barely enough time to say goodbye to her sisters and Leo before he orbed them back to their hotel. Despite protests from Piper, Phoebe and Paige about following them, Leo insisted and got his way and they returned to the Manor. There he hastily explained what Ammara had told him about what they had planned for Prue and Matt.