Chapter 38
The Phoenix
"We should scribe for her," Prue suggested.
"He will have that blocked," Ladybug said as she put her hands up in surprise as something very sharp was coming her way. A arrow was frozen in midair and there were markings on the arrowhead.
"Assassins." Trinity said as she noticed it. More arrows came flying out of the woods and Wyatt blow them up. Piper froze any that came near her while Leo and Henry's tattoos began to glow. Lila and Rigar join them along with some of the generals from the Valley.
"We don't have time for this," Piper said while looking into the woods.
"Everyone to the house we need to get coverage," Mel said and they all rushed into the Manor. Mel activated the defense systems and the windows and doors were now covered with steel.
"Phoebe needs us," Leo said while checking on his sons.
"What are these assassins?" Chris asks.
"Fast, brutal and clever. That was just a warning," Trinity replied as she and Jack armed themselves.
"Do they have powers?" Bianca ask as she grabbed a bag and pulled out her favorite daggers and put them behind her into specially made slot on her belt.
"Yes," ladybug replied.
"Can't you pull their power?" Wyatt asks.
"No they are immune to empaths," ladybug replied.
"There is something I can do," Mel said while walking over to the wall and placed her hand on it. A image of Phoebe appeared along with her vitals and other information. A small circle home in on her arm.
"What?" Coop asks.
"Every one of you have been implanted with a small piece of fabric from my suit," she replied.
"Excuse me?" Henry asked while looking at his arm.
"It's just under the skin and not active. But once it is it will only take about 10 minutes before it will kill you," Mel replied.
"Why would you do that and when?" Paige asks.
"Max can't detect it and it was a last resort if one of us got into trouble we couldn't get out of, I did it when we got here," Mel replied.
"Phoebe does not know this, so she may not know that she only has 10 minutes," Coop said while pacing the room as the generals were having their own conversation.
"She is smart and should be able to teleport back to us once activated or I can locate her," Mel said as they all stood silently.
"Do it," Coop said and hoped his wife would understand what was happening. Mel nodded and began to put in the code that would activate the small piece of fabric.
"What about the assassins?" Bianca ask.
"They will find a way in and when they do, it will be a slaughter," Naria replied.
"Jack stay here, Wyatt Chris and I will go to get Phoebe if she does not come to us," Mel said.
"I'm going with you," Coop said.
"I need you here, whether or not you want to believe it, you have more power then you know and it may come in useful with the assassins if you know what I mean," Mel replied and Coop reluctantly nodded as the others were slightly confused at what she meant.
"They are going to break through in about 5 minutes. We give them a good fight but their to fast and I can't keep up," ladybug said while tapping into her D.O.A premonition power.
"Then change the premonition, go to them," Mel said while awaiting for the signal to home in.
"Penny take the boys to the basement and use the new protection spell I showed you," Trinity said and Penny nodded along with Patty.
"Prue if we fail then get them out of here," Piper said to her oldest sister.
"I will but I am fighting with them, but if I see things going badly, I will get them out," Prue said and they all stood by the door along with some of the generals as Roland smiled.
"It's about time for proper fight," he said while looking at Piper who just rolled her eyes.
Cole walked over to Phoebe as she struggled to get free. She could feel some tingling on her arm and at first thought it was going to sleep because of the tightness of the rope.
"I waited a long time for this," he said and materialized a knife. He graced a crossed her neck but only made a small cut.
"I'm not going to beg for my life you son of a bitch," she said and grasp the end of the chair with her hands.
"Well that is offensive," Elizabeth said and giggled.
"Phoebe I don't care," he said and stabbed the knife down into her leg and began to turn it. She screamed as the blade cut through muscle and was scratching against bone.
"Sweetheart I know revenge is very important to you, but just finish her already," Elizabeth said and Cole pulled out the knife. He knew is mother was right and began to walk back towards the door. He opened his hands while his back faced her and bright balls of energy began to form. Elizabeth was looking at her son generated his power and did not notice what was happening to Phoebe. The suit was now activated and was growing all over her body. Cole turned quickly and tossed the combined energy at Phoebe. She prepared herself for the hit and once it did, she went flying backwards and hit the wall, breaking the chair that held her into pieces. They was a dust cloud covering her and Cole smiled as Max came in.
"Somethings wrong," he said.
"Not anymore," Cole said arrogantly.
"No Mel is here or her technology," Max said and Coles smiled changed slightly.
"Analyzing," the computer voice said amongst the dust and debris near the wall. "Analyzing complete," it finished.
"Oh shit," Cole said as the very same energy ball he sent to Phoebe was now coming right at him. He and the others tried to block it but it was too much and they went flying out the door through the remaining walls and were now outside. Phoebe emerged as they try to get to their feet Just as Mel and the others teleported in. Phoebe stretched out her hand and began to absorb both Cole and Elizabeth's powers.
"Phoebe!" Piper yelled and ran to her as Max and Mel's eyes met. Elizabeth fired a stream of energy towards Piper but her suit took it in. She tried again but her power was being drained by Phoebe.
"Cole we need to leave," Elizabeth said as Piper used her exploding power to send his mother flying. Coles eyes narrowed on Piper as Wyatt and Chris split up. One going to help Piper and the other to help Mel. Phoebe was getting overwhelmed with draining that much power for two people and her suit was beginning to fail. Cole could tell he only had a few shots left and focused it on Piper and Phoebe.
Back at the Manor a war was raging. The assassins were like fighting wind as they would come in and slice and be gone again. "Dammit," Leo said while holding his arm that had a large cut on it. Prue was using her power and it did have some effect on them as she could shoot it in multiple directions. She just had to anticipate where they would show up next and that's were ladybug would assist.
"Four o'clock 2 seconds," ladybug said and Prue counted down and fired. She hit a assassin that was about to cut Henry's throat. Paige was having the most difficulty as she tried to orb them away but again it was like orbing air as they would vanish to quickly. She too had many cuts but fortunately she could heal herself and heal others when she could. Roland was using his massive ax to slice through them as they fully materialized but he too was having issues. The only person who seemed to be stopping them in their tracks was Bianca because she could do the same. When she tapped into her power she could see them in their unmaterialized form. Coop closed his eyes and when they opened they were Ruby red as he was tapping into his darker side. A assassin was about to stab him in the heart, but was stopped by unseen force. Bianca appeared and used her daggers to return the favor and stabbed the assassin in the chest, killing him instantly. She smiled at Coop who nodded as he generated a bow. "Ladybug tell me where?" he asks.
"11 o'clock 4 seconds," she replied while barely dodging an arrow that sliced her cheek. Coop aimed at what seem like nothing and counted down. He then fired and the arrows were red and left a reddish missed in its wake when he did. It hit a assassin as she materialized in the head going right through. another materialized in front of him and was about to stab but Coop looked directly at him. The man grabbed his chest and fell over dead as Coop stopped his heart.
Down the basement two assassins made their way in and Penny with Patty stood in front of the boys. Penny used her telekinesis to send one of them to the wall as Patty froze the other but it did not last long as he was coming out of it and started to fade. The next thing they saw was the room light up as a lightning bolt shot out of Chris hands. It hit the assassin directly and killed him. Penny looked down at her grandson who just smiled proudly as Wyatt tapped him on the back.
"Good boy," she said while the other assassin was standing. He was about to rush them but was stopped by two things, one being the protection spell that Trinity showed them and the assassin skin began to peel off. The other was Wyatt who just looked at the man and he screamed in pain as is insides were burning. Patty looked at Wyatt and could tell he was doing something.
"Good job Wyatt," she said tentatively as his eyes seemed dark. The man finally exploded and they could hear the fight going on outside.
Cole tapped into the remaining power he had and sent it to both Phoebe and Piper. Mel and Max were firing weapons at each other, but they were just bouncing off their suits or being stopped by other forces.
"I have a surprise for you," Max said and disappeared. Mel immediately readied herself and try to pick up a signal. She did and turned around quickly but felt a sharp pain in her shoulder as she was pushed against a tree with incredible force. Their eyes met and they both were tapping into the technology that was shown in the half circles that were moving around her eyelits. Mel looked at her shoulder and saw the blade was not stopped but instead was completely through. "Yes I fond the stash," he said and she used her sonic power to send him flying backwards. She grabbed her shoulder and looked at blood on her hand. The blade was laying on the ground and she picked it up and knew it well. It teleported out of her hand and was now back with Max. "No no you are not allowed to have that," he said and was about to rush her again but Chris used his telekinesis to send a large boulder directly at him. Max used his shield to stop it while Chris joined his sister.
"Are you ok?" he asks noticing the blood.
"I will be," she replied and put her hand out to her side. A Gatling gun definitely modified teleported beside her. "Fire," she said and it focused on Max.
"Oh shit," he said and put up the shield again. The Boulder that was hovering, flew over his head while he had to change the direction of it to stop the bullets. But these were not ordinary bullets, but more like nitroglycerin modified to perfection and made to fit on the tip of a projectile. Each hit was one explosion after another and weakening his shield. Chris decided to help and began to fire lightning at him. Wyatt stopped the immense energy ball that was about to hit his mother and aunt. Phoebe went to her knees as she could feel her skin burn.
"Its the suit we need to get it off now," Piper said as she began to look for her daughter.
"Can't you do it?" Wyatt asks as a portal opened underneath him and he was gone.
"Wyatt!" Piper yelled as her son disappeared from sight and Cole smiled. "What did you do?" she asks while getting to her feet.
"One of my handy little powers and your never find him," Cole replied but was breathing heavily. He wanted to send all of them but it only worked for one. Phoebe stood with what energy she had left. She stretched out her hand again and this time wasted no time in pulling his power, but the combination of magic and technology were about to collide in unusual ways." Analyzing, analyzing, analyzing," the computer voice said over and over again having trouble keeping up.
"Phoebe stop you going to die if you do this," Piper said and started blasting at Cole but Elizabeth seem to have a shield of her own and was protecting him. Elizabeth began to chant and Piper could feel the implant burn as the spell try to take effect. She grabbed her shoulder but then is subsided. Next to her Phoebe's eyes changed as the technology and magic were mixing together.
"Analyzing complete," the computer voice said and a thin circle of light began to move around Phoebe slow at first but then picked up speed. The sound was like a jet engine starting.
"He is mine," Phoebe said darkly as both Cole and Elizabeth could feel their power completely drained. He tried to shimmer, he tried to tap into anything and could not.
"Run," he said but Elizabeth grabbed his arm.
"Where?" she said knowing their fate was imminent. Another circle appeared around Phoebe and they were crossing each other as Piper backed up. Melinda noticed what was happening as Wyatt orbed back but was covered in mud and looked badly beaten. He was breathing heavily while trying to take in everything that happened while he was gone.
"Wyatt shield now!" Mel yelled and he ran over to Piper. He then put his shield up as Mel teleported a long metal staff to herself and stuck it in the ground. She grabbed Chris and pulled him close. "Hold on!" she said while the circles around Phoebe increased to the point you couldn't see them at all but feel the wind they created.
"It was fun while it lasted," Elizabeth said as he squeezes mother's hand.
"Go to hell!" Phoebe yelled and a bright light blinded everyone and they could feel the hot wind even through the shield. Max teleported out before it happened as he too knew what was coming. It took over 30 seconds for everything to stop and but what was left was burnt to a crisp are nonexistent. Phoebe collapsed as the suit was rejecting her.
"Mel," Piper said as the shield lowered. Mel ran over and placed her hand on Phoebe. She began to in the suit and she also received a new arsenal as Cole and Elizabeth active powers that involved energy were now duplicatable. Phoebe was gasping for air as Wyatt placed his hands over her and began to heal along with Chris as Wyatt's powers were drained.
"What just happened?" Chris asks.
"Corporation," Mel replied but Chris just looked at her confused. "I will explain when we get back," she said and looked for Max.
"He's gone, he teleported out," Wyatt said.
"Ouch," Phoebe said while sitting up slowly.
"Hay how you doing?" Piper asks while helping her.
"Not sure, did I have the suit on?" she asks.
"There might be some memory loss," Mel said.
"What?" Phoebe asks.
"Nothing we need to get back, Wyatt are you ok?" Piper asks while looking over her son.
"Yeah but he did not send me to a nice place and barely got back," Wyatt replied as Piper fixed his hair. "I'm ok mom, but we should get back to help the others," he said noticing the worry in her face. Phoebe walked over to two piles of dust and even though some of her memory was a little fuzzy, she knew it was Cole and Elizabeth. She kicked the ashes and smiled.
Bianca seem to be in her element as she was making quick work of the assassins why the others struggled. Trinity was fast orbing to kill the ones it came out of hiding while Jack's traps were also doing their work in the woods as screams could be heard. He was also killing the ones he could until he felt a sharp pain in his back, he looked down and saw a long blade coming through.
"Dad!" Vela screamed and she used her exploding power to kill the assassin as her father went to his knees," NO!" she yelled and ran to him. Prue also saw what happened and tried to make her way to him but felt something warm running down her chest. She put her hand on the wetness and saw blood covering her hand and dripping through her fingers.
"Prue," Paige yelled and stretched out her hand and a beam of white light shot out. Prue could feel the warmth as her throat began to heal that was just cut. She looked over at her baby sister and smiled as she used her power to kill the assassin that just tried to kill her.
"Help Jack," Prue said and continued fighting. Paige moved her hand in his direction as Vela held his head on her lap.
"Please dad don't go," she pleaded as a bright white light hit him. She had to turn away and when she looked back he was smiling.
"Never," he said and was completely healed. Piper and the others were now back and Piper flicked her wrist and froze everything. The assassins that were in between were now visible and easy for the picking but others were still hiding in the void, but that would not last for long as little Wyatt orbed out of the basement.
"Sweetie go back to your grandmothers," Piper said but he blinked his eyes and now all the assassins were visible and frozen in place except for their heads. Wyatt smiled a little and orbed back to his grandmothers. Piper looked at the older version of himself and he just shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't care who sent you, I already know. On the bright side that means you don't get tortured, on the other side it means you die quickly," she said and shot the assassin right between the eyes. They finished off the rest and took a a few moments to get healed. Mel sat down on the couch and in the chaos of the fighting forgot about her wound. She put her hand to her shoulder as Wyatt walked up to her.
"You want me to heal that?" he asks.
"It won't work, my suit tries to analyze it. It sees it as energy and doesn't know how to handle it or duplicate it," she replied.
"Wait can't you just give yourself a shot like you have with others?" Wyatt asks.
"I already did, it will just take some time," she replied as the others joined them.
"At least Cole is dead for good this time," Phoebe said as she sat down.
"I hope so, we thought that before," Piper said.
"No this time he is, I could feel it," Phoebe said and Piper could see her daughter was hurt.
"Mel how did that happen. Didn't you armor kick in?" Piper asks while getting a towel.
"Yes but it cut right through it," Mel replied.
"There's only one thing that can do that and those weapons were are no longer obtainable," Jack said.
"He found them," Mel said while Piper sat down next to her and put pressure on the wound. "Its ok, no main arteries and its healing slowly," she said as she could feel Piper's hand tremble.
"What weapons are you talking about?" Paige asks.
"Mournblade," Mel replied.
"We buried those deep into the ground after the darkening," Naria said.
"He found a way to get them out," Mel said.
"What's so special about these weapons?" Leo asks.
"In 2014 a new substance was created using graphene in a honeycone formation. It became the strongest substance in the world, stronger than diamond, steel or anything else before it. Over time it advanced, my armor is made out of the substance because it's flexible and is a better conductor than copper. Everything has its counter, while in our world it was becoming indestructible, this world had a way to cut through it like butter," Mel replied.
"The process to make the weapons is long and requires materials that are not easily obtained, some can only be accessed at certain times of the year," Naria said.
"It also wasn't cheap, armies could not afford it so only the elite would have the blades," Jack added.
"Leprechauns," Mel said.
"What?" Paige asks as her encounters with leprechauns has been mixed through the years.
"I know they are little in our world and have Irish accents, so forth and so on. But they came from here. They are great merchant and are quite wealthy. Whenever they made the blades it created a color filled smoke that could be seen for miles," she replied.
"Oh my God, the rainbow and the pot of gold," Paige said as she put the pieces together.
"Exactly, for them the weapons was their main export and also their best. So what was at the end of the smoke trail was money being made," Mel said.
"Does that mean Max is working with them?" Coop asks.
"Probably, but they were behind the wall, which means they got through before we closed it and Max is still alive so technically they are still his ally," Mel replied.
"Who are they?" Piper asks.
"Riders of Leeuwin," Naria replied as she pulled out her sword and Mel recognized its color. It was bluish steel that was absolute perfection. No impurities, no scratches even though it has been used in many battles and light weight.
"At first I admired it and even purchase some from them, it wasn't until I was sparring with one of their advisers that I got cut, even when my armor activated. We both knew the implications and when Wyatt looked like he was winning. The leader at that time agreed to stop making them but they cannot be destroyed.
"The monarch of constellations was one of the largest purchasers of these weapons. We agreed to bury what we had deep into the earth as we did not want Wyatt to get his hands on it," Naria said.
"Cole must have got them out somehow," Phoebe said.
"No it was Max, he teleported them out as magic cannot sense them nor can they be orbed away," Mel said.
"He probably used a type of metal detector of course a lot more advanced," Jack said.
"How many were buried?" Henry asked.
"Thousands," Naria replied and everyone felt a shiver.
"There has to be a way to stop them and I thought once the hole was closed everything would go back?" Paige asks.
"Demons are different then human. The only thing that was sent back was nonhuman," Naria replied.
"How big is that clan?" Leo asks.
"In this situation size won't matter, if they can get through my armor then they can cut through anything," Mel replied.
"But you were friends with them?" Prue asks.
"I was, but just like any place leaders change and the new one picked Wyatt," Mel replied.
"Naria do all your soldiers have those weapons?" Coop asks.
"Yes," she replied.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Leo asks.
"Because we were never going to use them against her," Naria replied as she stood tall.
"I knew that she and the clan had them but I hoped that Max would not get his hands on them or even know about them," Mel said.
"Was it before his time?" Phoebe asks.
"Yes and before mine, I only found out because of what happened when I was sparring and trust me I kept the secret from pretty much everyone except for the hell five," Mel replied.
"What do we do now?" Prue asks.
"We rest and finish this damn war," Mel replied as her wound was now healed.
To be continued...