A/N:

Thanks for the reviews.

Kelly: I will get into that soon about Vela's powers. Thanks for the review.

Chapter 37

Conspiracies and traps

The entire Halliwell family stood at the hole of the wall. They could feel its power, like sinking into the mud slowly drowning in putrid wet, cold sickness. The older ones of each clan worked on a spell that would close it, but it would take all of them not just the Halliwells. The elders of each clan stood behind them as they all began to chant while holding hands. Piper looked behind her and saw Mel along with Jack.

"Join us Mel," she said.

"I'm not magical," Mel said.

"Your family both of you," Piper said and Leo who was still going through the effects of the darkening bit his tongue. Mel and Jack walked up to the line and she took Piper's hand while Jack took hers.

"Tria Fila Nigra Promissiva, Mihi Limitationem per Tres Dies!" they all chanted and the fallen bricks began to float. "Tria Fila Nigra Promissiva, Mihi Limitationem per Tres Dies!" they said again while a hot wind stirred beneath their feet. "Tria Fila Nigra Promissiva, Mihi Limitationem per Tres Dies!" Again they repeated the spell while growls and screams could be heard on other side of the wall. Even the ground beneath them that now has a hot wind blowing upwards, was trembling.

"Keep saying it!" Phoebe yelled as she could feel more of what was behind the wall than anyone else.

"Tria Fila Nigra Promissiva, Mihi Limitationem per Tres Dies!" they all said and had to hold on tight as it felt like something was trying to break them apart. The floating bricks tossed and turned and then stopped moving altogether and with one last chant"Tria Fila Nigra Promissiva, Mihi Limitationem per Tres Dies!" the bricks flew and the place as a wall of light shot upwards into the sky.

"It is done," Shuarth said.

"What about the things that escaped?" Bianca ask.

"They are connected to that part of the world, and therefore sent home," Shuarth replied.

"How does everyone feel?" Piper asks while looking at Leo.

"Much better, Piper we need to talk," Leo replied.

"I know but not here," she said as they all headed back to town not sure of their fate. Lila along with Rigar were waiting for them. Piper walked up to her ready to get a lashing.

"I do not regret what I said, but the darkening effects judgment. You and your family may remain until the war. After that we will see," Lila said and walked back into her house as Piper nodded.

"Piper we need to talk about Cole," Phoebe said.

"In the house," Piper said and the sisters went into the Manor. Bianca and Chris sat in the gazebo as they had much to discuss.

"Chris I'm sorry that I took off like that, I just wanted to help," Bianca said as she put her hand on his leg.

"You know how hard it was for us to get married, I mean there's the whole rules thing and of course my mother and father did not approve," Chris said while putting his hand on hers.

"Yeah, I know the whole witch and demon thing, but Piper came around and so did Leo," she said.

"I can't lose you," he said.

"You know I'm called Phoenix for a reason," she said and smiled.

"It doesn't mean you're invincible," he said and raised his eyebrows.

"To change the subject, what I don't understand is why Melinda wanted to get captured?" she asks.

"No one really knows why she does what she does. It's weird suddenly being the middle child and I have no idea how to respond to that. I'm not exactly a peacekeeper, that is more of Wyatt's job," he replied.

"Your get it," she said.

"I hope so, because to be honest it was really difficult to keep them from killing each other when they first met," he said.

Melinda was in her lab holding up a small test tube while the screen on her right was showing the helix. "Hay playing God again?" Jack asks.

"You know Lila never really trusted my technology she said it was devoid of emotion and limited," Mel replied as Jack sat down.

"She still excepted you," he said.

"Yes but now what magic can't do, I can," she said and showed him the tube.

"What is it?"

"Astra," she replied and Jack began to put the pieces together.

"You have her DNA?"

"Yes, I mean Lila will need to give birth again and do everything again, but something tells me she will not mind," Mel replied.

"This will definitely smooth things over, but considering what Astra did, giving our daughter to that clan, I don't know if I can be so easy to forgive," he said.

"Jack she was right, it was my family that tore this world in half and if the circumstance was reversed, I don't know how I would react. Besides Astra gave her life to save us all, I don't know what else anyone could do to make up for what she has done, she deserves a second chance, we all do," she said and stood up.

"What about the King he is not going to like the fact we escaped?"

"I'm counting on it," she said and left the room.

Cole was talking to Max outside of the Sinners of Uther clan. "Well that plan worked," Cole said sarcastically.

"It doesn't matter, I know that I can still shut her systems down or some of them. We need to do it soon," Max said.

"Fortunately we got back before they sealed the wall and our army also got through, but now they have time to rejuvenate," Cole said.

"We sneak in the middle of the night and make sure to bring the best assassins. If we can separate them get them to scatter, we might have a chance," Max said.

"I still think we should wait until they go to war with the elders, with all the chaos it will be easier to take them out," Cole said.

"And they will have a 10,000 man army behind them."

"They do now Max, so what's the difference?" Cole asks.

"Surprise, the element of surprise. We don't go in to kill, we go in to kidnap, but if the assassins get lucky, its good for us," he said.

"I will talk to the Charman of the clan to see if he can shut down Phoebe's and prudence premonition capability," Cole said.

"I have some final analysis to make, see you back here in 10," Max said and left.

Elizabeth was having dinner with one of their new allies the Riders of Leeuwin."You hold your age well," he said while drinking his red wine making sure to keep his eyes on her.

"Being dead has its perks," she said as she ran her hand over the smooth glass of her goblet.

"It has to be lonely with many desires unfulfilled," he said.

"Many," she said and then stood up from her seat. She ran her finger across the dark wood as she walked towards him. Her burgundy dress move like tapestry in the wind.

"Should I be frightened I hear demons are a little rough?" he asks while leaning back in his chair to get a better view.

"Do you need a safety word?" she asks as he looked him up and down. He was a handsome man, not chiseled or perfect, but a hard beauty with his almost purplish eyes. A rugged kind of look that you would see in the wild but all cleaned up.

"More," he replied and smiled as a knock on the door interrupted them. They both showed their irritations when adjusting their outfits. Elizabeth walked to the door and opened it.

"Is this a bad time?" Cole asks.

"Yes mommy has needs," Elizabeth replied and slammed the door in his face. He stood there a little befuddled and decided not to interrupt again.

"Well what did she say about our plan?" Max asks.

"Its a go," Cole lied and walked away from the door.

Back at the Manor Bianca was getting ready for bed as Chris was sitting on the chair taking off his shoes. "I can't believe how much better I feel I see why they call it the darkening," he said as she came out. She was wearing a T-shirt that was his and it came down to her kneecaps. He smiled as he always liked it when she wore his shirts.

"Don't even think about it, your parents room is right across from ours and your a screamer," she said as he frowned in disappointment.

Paige, Henry and Trinity were also getting ready for bed. Trinity has slept in their room ever since she was released. Her nightmares were still very intense and she never wanted to talk about it, which worried and frustrated both of them. Paige put a comforter on her daughter and smiled warmly as she has already drifted to sleep. Henry walked over to put a extra pillow under her head and made sure not to wake her on the couch.

"We love you," he said softly and kissed her on the four head. They both went to the bathroom and shut the door to get ready for bed.

"I wish she would tell us more about what happened to her before she was imprisoned," Henry said as he picked up his toothbrush.

"It must be still too painful, I know she had a sister but she will not talk about her," Paige said.

"You know what is odd, I thought you would name your first daughter Tamora?" he asks.

"Apparently I changed it, she does seem more like a Trinity," Paige replied while putting her long dark hair into a ponytail.

"Apparently a lot of things changed," he snorted.

"Well magic does work in mysterious ways," she snorted back.

"To be honest I'm not sure if I want to know considering how Melinda turned out," he said while taking off his shirt and looked at the markings on his body," This will go away once I leave here right?" he asks while running his fingers over the circular tattoos.

"I thought you liked having power?" Paige asks as she ran her hand over the ones on his shoulder.

"Its cool but probably won't be able to take my shirt off in public," he replied.

"Yeah going to the beach will be a problem, but you are for my eyes only," she said as he looked into her eyes.

Piper was in the bathroom and looked at her reflection. She had dark circles under her eyes, something she has grown used to over the years. But she was older now and things were supposed to get easier instead at every turn things were getting harder. She looked at the outfit she has worn even before arrival and began to miss her wardrobe. She likes the power it gave her and it did make her feel connected to Melinda but the blackness of the suit was a reminder of the blackness in her daughter's life. Leo stepped in but waited at the door. Piper looked away from the mirror and could see the five o'clock shadow on his face and the wariness that has made its home on every expression.

"Piper you know that I would never want to hurt you and I don't know how to make up for what I did," he said and looked away shamefully. Piper walked up to him and placed her hand on his stubbly cheek.

"Leo it was not you, it was the darkening and everyone was affected including me," she said and he looked up at her.

"You sure didn't seem like it," he said while placing his hand on hers.

"Mine was more inward, I felt an overwhelming guilt and to be honest was on the verge of running away hoping to find someplace where nobody existed, where nobody could blame me," she said.

"It's not just you, I am just as guilty of the dark future maybe even more," he said as she rested her head on his chest.

"This is a second chance for all of us and I will not screw this up," she said as he rubbed her back.

"We both won't," he said.

Phoebe and Coop came out of the other house that ladybug, Melinda and Jack stayed in, but Melinda and Vela were not inside ready for bed, instead they were looking out over the land from the cliff.

"I wonder what they are doing?" Phoebe asks.

"Don't know," he replied as they walked up to them.

"I promise you fireworks for your birthday, unfortunately unforeseen circumstances kept me from keeping that promise," Mel said as she looked at her daughter.

"Mom its not your fault, none of this is," Vela said as Mel waved her hand in front of her and a transparent screen materialized.

"Well late is better than never," Mel said.

"What?" Vela asks as Mel put in a code.

"Look out over the horizon and you'll see," Mel replied.

At The Sinners of Uther clan the king was getting ready for bed but was in need of drink. He tied his robe and walked into his main chamber.

"Where the hell is my servant?" he asks getting more irritated by the second as all of his slaves seem to be absent and not attending him. "Where are my servants!"

"My Lord," a guard came in and kneeled almost shaking.

"I did not ask for a guard, I ask for my slaves, where are they?"

"Gone my lord all of them," the guard replied.

"What?"

"We don't know how my Lord but they are all gone," the guard replied while still keeping his gaze to the ground. They could hear what sounded like something crawling beneath them coming from the dungeons and the marble tile began to crack. The guard backed away on his hands and knees as something broke through. It was a small metal ball that had a shield around it and it was pulsating. The guard cannot wait to be excused as he knew very clearly what this was and ran. The king also knew and also knew that running would not save him. He walked up to the grayish metal ball as it began to spin, getting faster and faster by the second until it stopped and the humming began to increase, shaking the windows and the foundation beneath him. His expression hardened as a smiley face appeared, "Have a nice day," a voice said.

"Black Star!" he yelled as it exploded outward. Everything was turned to ash as the explosion continued outwards creating a dome of bright white light that rose over the horizon. Once it reached the city limits, it began to move inword and took all the debris with it like a huge vacuum until all that was left was flat ground stripped of vegetation or anything that resembled a city.

Vela saw the huge dome of light in the distance and knew the direction it was coming from. She smiled as the people tormented her for over 20 years were now gone from the face of the earth.

"It's not quite fireworks, but definitely better," Mel said as her transparent screen disappeared. "All the slaves had been relocated, Terminator made sure of that. I left him there when we escaped and he teleport them secretly to the whirlwinds who agree to take them in," she said knowing her daughter would ask.

"That's why you wanted to get captured," Vela said.

"I have a reason for everything," Mel said as Phoebe and Coop walked up to them seeing the same thing they did.

"They're completely gone?" Phoebe asks.

"Every one of them," Mel replied.

"Mel there might have been children there," Coop asks a little shocked.

"And they would have been the same as their parents," Mel said as she was now getting defensive of her actions.

"That is not fair and maybe they could have changed," Phoebe said.

"Every monster starts as someone's baby," Mel said as her and Vela walked off and Coop along with Phoebe looked out over the horizon.

"Phoebe we don't know this place as well as she does," Coop said.

"So you're condoning this?" Phoebe asks a little shocked at her husband.

"Considering what they did to Vela and countless others, yeah," he replied and walked away to the house. Phoebe stood for a moment as she recalled the pain she felt from Vela and although she understood, this was so far beyond anything they have ever done.

Max was standing outside the shield and got a good look at the explosion while Cole stood next to him.

"Wait until they are asleep and then we go," Max said.

"You know you will set off every alarm, right?" Cole asks.

"That's exactly the point, we only need one. So I will distract them and you get who ever you can," Max replied as Cole saw Phoebe and Coop go back into the house. Max made sure they could not be detected outside the shield but it was taking a lot of energy to do so. They both backed away and got some distance waiting for everyone to drift into a deep sleep.

Mel was the first awake as the entire village was lighting up while alarms were going off all over the perimeter.

"What are we being attacked by?" Jack asks while getting dressed and heading outside.

"Were not this is a distraction, check the houses!" Mel replied and Jack immediately went to check on Vela and was relieved to see her come out of the house. Everyone else emerged except one. Phoebe was missing.

"She is gone," Coop said panicked.

"Cole," Prue said as she tried to home in on her but she was a virtuous and those capabilities were limited. "I can't find her," she said as Wyatt and Chris tried to as well along with ladybug.

"I can't either," Wyatt said.

"How did this happen?" Coop asks while walking over to Melinda.

"Max overwhelmed the system and it created a gap, Cole must have shimmered in and shimmered out too quickly for us to detect," Mel replied but that was not satisfactory to him.

"I thought you were a genius and so far all I've seen is how well you can blow things up, I thought you were going to protect us," Coop said as his anger and worry were mixing together.

"Max is not stupid and if we did not have the shield, we would be dead all of us by now, so if you don't like how I do things then you are more than welcome to protect everyone against everything that's here," she said and got a few inches from him. He was much taller but she did inherit Piper's death stare and size was nothing compared to that. "This world isn't as nice as as yours and it will rip you to shreds. Now we can either point fingers or fix the problem," she said and walked past him heading back to the Manor.

Phoebe woke up and adjusted her eyes. She expected to see the room she has been in most of her life, but instead she was tied to a chair by glowing ropes. The room was dark except for a little light that came from underneath the door.

"Coop!" she yelled but he did not come. She began to yell for the others while trying to get free. She tried to tap into every power she could but was getting nothing. The door opened and Cole walked in with Max and Elizabeth.

"I would have preferred if you told me the plan, I could have prepared better accommodations for our guest," Elizabeth said as she gave a small wicked smile.

"You had needs," Cole said as he approached Phoebe.

"Cole what the hell are you doing?" she asks.

"Honoring my word," he replied.

To be continued...

A/N:

Next chapter Bianca and the assassins face off.