Ali wasn't sure how long she had been out, but she estimated that by the position of the sun it had been almost two hours.
Ali stood up and put her sword back in the sheath that hung at her hip. Then she bent down and picked up Phoebe's sword. She examined the blade and hilt. The carving on the hilt was malvagio, evil.
Ali made her way back to her tiny, one room cottage. She lived alone because her mother had been turned into a Wendigo. Her mother would sometimes turn up on her doorstep in tattered clothing, but she would always be muttering things Ali couldn't understand. She always asked for food and Ali went to get it, but every time Ali came back, her mother would already be gone.
Ali walked into the cottage and walked over to a large chest. She kneeled down in front of it and took a key from her pocket and unlocked the chest, then opened the lid. The chest was full of small daggers, jars and bottles, a few other scattered items, and a leather bound book.
Ali took the gray messenger bag from her shoulder and unzipped it. She took two daggers from the chest and placed them inside, then she put a blue and purple jar in the bag and zipped it up. She placed it back around her shoulder and stood up. She picked up Phoebe's sword and put it in the chest, then closed the chest and locked it.
Ali made sure everything was in its place, then opened the door. Ali was somewhat surprised to see her mother. Ali just stared at her mother. She always looked the same, tattered clothing and looked homeless. She was muttering and as usual, Ali couldn't understand a word she was saying, except for 'food.' Ali sighed. She would just be gone when she got back to the door anyway.
Ali walked into the cottage and grabbed a loaf of bread. She walked over to the door again and her mother was gone. Ali sighed and put the bread back.
'It's always the same.' Ali thought as she shut the door.
Ali walked the short distance to the marketplace. She looked around at all the busy people and wished she could be like them. None of these people ever decided that they were going to destroy the Dark Ones.
Ali walked over a fruit stand and waited for the man to recognize her presence.
"Yes?" He inquired.
"I'm wondering if you've seen some people." Ali said.
"And who would those people be?" He asked.
"The Dark Ones." Ali said, only loud enough for him to hear. The man looked shocked and frightened.
"I know nothing of them." The man said. "I'd appreciate it if you no longer spoke of them, the name Halliwell," He paused to make sure that no one heard him, then continued. "Is not a pleasant one and I'd rather not be linked with it. It's all very bad for business. Please, either buy something or go away."
Ali just looked at him then walked on. It was always the same reaction. Fear and shock. Nobody liked to say the name Halliwell, for it was the name of the Dark Ones. The Dark Ones inspired fear in everyone, mostly because of their horrible and unspeakable acts. Ali told herself long ago that they needed to be stopped and if no one else would do it, she would.
"Excuse me," Ali said, stopping in front of a stand of odd charms. "I'm looking for some people."
"And who would they be?" The old woman who was working the cart asked.
"Well," Ali said. "I'm looking for...the Dark Ones."
"They have not been here." The old woman answered stiffly. "If you would please go now, it would be appreciated."
Ali said and stepped away from the stand, but two cloaked figures caught her eye. The two were looking at amulets at a stand and seemed to be conversing with each other about them. Both wore hooded crimson cloaks that hid their faces and Ali could tell they were wearing black robes, like those of the underworld wore.
Once the two had left the amulet stand, Ali hurried over and began talking to the young man, who was counting his money.
"Excuse me, but who were they?" Ali asked.
"I dunno." The young man replied. "Couldn't see their faces. Why're you so curious?"
Ali did not answer him, she just stepped away from the cart and into the middle of the marketplace.
"Halliwell!" Ali called.
The two cloaked figures stopped and turned around to look at Ali. Everyone in the marketplace screamed and ran off, completely deserting the place, leaving Ali alone with the two.
"You called us?"
"I did." Ali said.
"Tell us," the eldest asked, taking a step forward. "Where is our sister? She did not return home after her trip to slay you."
"She did not slay me." Ali said, stating the obvious.
"Then did you slay her?" The other asked, aligning herself with her sister.
"She is alive." Ali said. "But imprisoned."
"We wish her back."
"You will have to fight for her." Ali said. "I have no intentions of handing her over voluntarily, nor peacefully."
One of the sisters lowered her hood and Ali recognized her as Piper. Then the other sister lowered her hood, and Ali knew it must have been Prue, the eldest.
"Then we will take her." Piper said.
"Then you will have to come and get her." Ali said, drawing her sword.
"Have you found the orb?" Prue asked.
"I have." Ali said.
"Go Prue." Piper said. "Prepare for the spell. I shall be back with Phoebe in an hour's time."
Prue hesitated, then flipped her hood up and walked to the edge of the marketplace.
"Come and fight me then." Ali said. "If you want your sister..."
Piper's eyes narrowed and she opened her palm. A sword with the same carving of malvagio appeared in her hand and her hand tightened around it.
"You are foolish to challenge me." Piper said, walking closer to Ali.
"Funny," Ali said. "That's what your sister said."
Piper didn't say anything. She thrust the sword forward, but Ali blocked it and pushed Piper back. Ali lifted her sword and swung it at Piper, but Piper put her sword up in time to block. They stood, battling each other with their swords against each other, until Piper pushed hard and Ali fell backwards.
"You are so inexperienced." Piper said, standing over Ali. "Did anyone ever tell you that it will be your downfall?"
"I may have heard it once or twice." Ali said, then kicked Piper's feet from under her.
Piper fell on her side and Ali quickly got up. Piper got up as well and looked at Ali with pure hatred. Piper swung her sword at Ali, but Ali blocked it and pushed Piper's sword away. Ali quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out the orb.
"You have the orb!" Piper exclaimed. "Give it to me!"
"Come and get it." Ali said, taking a step back.
Piper lifted her sword above her head and made a swift motion downward, but Ali was quicker and she tossed the orb up lightly. Piper's sword connected with the orb and she was sucked inside just like Phoebe. The orb landed on the ground and Ali bent to pick it up.
After Ali pocketed it, she saw the eldest sister staring at her from the field that was across the marketplace. Ali stared, not even seeing any part of her face. The eldest, who Ali reasoned was Prue, lifted her hand. Ali flew backwards into the fruit stand and again fought to stay conscious. Ali's vision began to blur, but she definitely knew that Prue was approaching her. Then, Ali lost consciousness again.
A/N: Intrigued? Huh? Are you? Want me to go on?
Ali stood up and put her sword back in the sheath that hung at her hip. Then she bent down and picked up Phoebe's sword. She examined the blade and hilt. The carving on the hilt was malvagio, evil.
Ali made her way back to her tiny, one room cottage. She lived alone because her mother had been turned into a Wendigo. Her mother would sometimes turn up on her doorstep in tattered clothing, but she would always be muttering things Ali couldn't understand. She always asked for food and Ali went to get it, but every time Ali came back, her mother would already be gone.
Ali walked into the cottage and walked over to a large chest. She kneeled down in front of it and took a key from her pocket and unlocked the chest, then opened the lid. The chest was full of small daggers, jars and bottles, a few other scattered items, and a leather bound book.
Ali took the gray messenger bag from her shoulder and unzipped it. She took two daggers from the chest and placed them inside, then she put a blue and purple jar in the bag and zipped it up. She placed it back around her shoulder and stood up. She picked up Phoebe's sword and put it in the chest, then closed the chest and locked it.
Ali made sure everything was in its place, then opened the door. Ali was somewhat surprised to see her mother. Ali just stared at her mother. She always looked the same, tattered clothing and looked homeless. She was muttering and as usual, Ali couldn't understand a word she was saying, except for 'food.' Ali sighed. She would just be gone when she got back to the door anyway.
Ali walked into the cottage and grabbed a loaf of bread. She walked over to the door again and her mother was gone. Ali sighed and put the bread back.
'It's always the same.' Ali thought as she shut the door.
Ali walked the short distance to the marketplace. She looked around at all the busy people and wished she could be like them. None of these people ever decided that they were going to destroy the Dark Ones.
Ali walked over a fruit stand and waited for the man to recognize her presence.
"Yes?" He inquired.
"I'm wondering if you've seen some people." Ali said.
"And who would those people be?" He asked.
"The Dark Ones." Ali said, only loud enough for him to hear. The man looked shocked and frightened.
"I know nothing of them." The man said. "I'd appreciate it if you no longer spoke of them, the name Halliwell," He paused to make sure that no one heard him, then continued. "Is not a pleasant one and I'd rather not be linked with it. It's all very bad for business. Please, either buy something or go away."
Ali just looked at him then walked on. It was always the same reaction. Fear and shock. Nobody liked to say the name Halliwell, for it was the name of the Dark Ones. The Dark Ones inspired fear in everyone, mostly because of their horrible and unspeakable acts. Ali told herself long ago that they needed to be stopped and if no one else would do it, she would.
"Excuse me," Ali said, stopping in front of a stand of odd charms. "I'm looking for some people."
"And who would they be?" The old woman who was working the cart asked.
"Well," Ali said. "I'm looking for...the Dark Ones."
"They have not been here." The old woman answered stiffly. "If you would please go now, it would be appreciated."
Ali said and stepped away from the stand, but two cloaked figures caught her eye. The two were looking at amulets at a stand and seemed to be conversing with each other about them. Both wore hooded crimson cloaks that hid their faces and Ali could tell they were wearing black robes, like those of the underworld wore.
Once the two had left the amulet stand, Ali hurried over and began talking to the young man, who was counting his money.
"Excuse me, but who were they?" Ali asked.
"I dunno." The young man replied. "Couldn't see their faces. Why're you so curious?"
Ali did not answer him, she just stepped away from the cart and into the middle of the marketplace.
"Halliwell!" Ali called.
The two cloaked figures stopped and turned around to look at Ali. Everyone in the marketplace screamed and ran off, completely deserting the place, leaving Ali alone with the two.
"You called us?"
"I did." Ali said.
"Tell us," the eldest asked, taking a step forward. "Where is our sister? She did not return home after her trip to slay you."
"She did not slay me." Ali said, stating the obvious.
"Then did you slay her?" The other asked, aligning herself with her sister.
"She is alive." Ali said. "But imprisoned."
"We wish her back."
"You will have to fight for her." Ali said. "I have no intentions of handing her over voluntarily, nor peacefully."
One of the sisters lowered her hood and Ali recognized her as Piper. Then the other sister lowered her hood, and Ali knew it must have been Prue, the eldest.
"Then we will take her." Piper said.
"Then you will have to come and get her." Ali said, drawing her sword.
"Have you found the orb?" Prue asked.
"I have." Ali said.
"Go Prue." Piper said. "Prepare for the spell. I shall be back with Phoebe in an hour's time."
Prue hesitated, then flipped her hood up and walked to the edge of the marketplace.
"Come and fight me then." Ali said. "If you want your sister..."
Piper's eyes narrowed and she opened her palm. A sword with the same carving of malvagio appeared in her hand and her hand tightened around it.
"You are foolish to challenge me." Piper said, walking closer to Ali.
"Funny," Ali said. "That's what your sister said."
Piper didn't say anything. She thrust the sword forward, but Ali blocked it and pushed Piper back. Ali lifted her sword and swung it at Piper, but Piper put her sword up in time to block. They stood, battling each other with their swords against each other, until Piper pushed hard and Ali fell backwards.
"You are so inexperienced." Piper said, standing over Ali. "Did anyone ever tell you that it will be your downfall?"
"I may have heard it once or twice." Ali said, then kicked Piper's feet from under her.
Piper fell on her side and Ali quickly got up. Piper got up as well and looked at Ali with pure hatred. Piper swung her sword at Ali, but Ali blocked it and pushed Piper's sword away. Ali quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out the orb.
"You have the orb!" Piper exclaimed. "Give it to me!"
"Come and get it." Ali said, taking a step back.
Piper lifted her sword above her head and made a swift motion downward, but Ali was quicker and she tossed the orb up lightly. Piper's sword connected with the orb and she was sucked inside just like Phoebe. The orb landed on the ground and Ali bent to pick it up.
After Ali pocketed it, she saw the eldest sister staring at her from the field that was across the marketplace. Ali stared, not even seeing any part of her face. The eldest, who Ali reasoned was Prue, lifted her hand. Ali flew backwards into the fruit stand and again fought to stay conscious. Ali's vision began to blur, but she definitely knew that Prue was approaching her. Then, Ali lost consciousness again.
A/N: Intrigued? Huh? Are you? Want me to go on?
