THREE
Two hours passed since Cole had gone to the underworld without
any word from him. Phoebe couldn't help but worry about him. Besides
the Charmed Ones, Belthazor was probably the most hated being in the
underworld. Every minute he remained there he risked exposure and
destruction.
Phoebe was in her room when she heard Piper call for her and
Prue. There was a distinct note of urgency in her voice. Phoebe
rushed to the living room where Piper was. Phoebe and Prue entered
the living room at the same time.
Piper and Leo stood just inside the living room. Standing by
the fireplace was a man. He was about sixty, balding, and had silver
hair. He was wearing a suit and puffing on a cigar.
"He just sort of flamed in," said Piper. "Phoebe, is this your
demon?"
"No," said Phoebe. "He was younger and he had brown hair. But
the cigar smells the same."
"Okay," said Prue, to the man. "Who are you and what do you
want?"
"Oh, excuse me," said the man.
His form suddenly changed. Standing in front of the sisters and
Leo was the man Phoebe had encountered two days previously. He had
also dispensed with the cigar.
"That's him," announced Phoebe. "That's the guy who was here
the other day."
"Unlike my contemporaries," said Isladec, "I have no actual
human form. Fortunately, I can assume almost any form I wish."
"Isladec, I assume," said Piper.
"Guilty as charged," said Isladec. He looked at Leo. "Stay out
of this, White Lighter. My business is with the Charmed Ones. There
is no need for you to die again. You would be less than an annoyance
to me."
"He's right, Leo," said Prue. "It's us he wants. And you
aren't really equipped to face him. We are."
Leo moved off, realizing they were both right. He'd just be in
the way. He'd wait in case his healing ability was needed. In a
pinch, he could suddenly orb one of the sisters away, preventing them
from using the Power of Three, and perhaps saving their lives.
Suddenly, Isladec changed form again. He was no longer human.
Instead, he stood facing the Charmed Ones in his demonic form. He
stood nearly seven feet tall, its' black skin glistening in the
lamplight. A pair of horns sprouted from his head and razor sharp
teeth filled his mouth. His cat-like eyes glowed with an eerie red
light. The pointed ears were capable of picking out even the faintest
sounds.
"There are few humans who have seen my true form," said Isladec,
"and lived to tell about it. Now, let us see if this Power of Three
is all that I've heard it is. Shall we dance?"
Prue, Piper, and Phoebe took up defensive stances, ready to
combat this demon.
"Mind if I lead?" asked Prue.
She raised her arm and Isladec went flying across the room. He
tumbled to the floor, rolled, and was instantly on his feet again.
"Call me old fashioned," said Isladec, "but it seems to
unbecoming for a woman to lead."
Isladec raised his hand and cast a fireball at Prue. Just as
the fireball formed and began to fly at Prue, Piper raised her hands.
Isladec froze instantly. The fireball hung suspended from his
fingertips.
"Guess he's never heard of women's lib," said Piper.
The freeze lasted all of one second. Suddenly, Isladec was
freed and his fireball continued on toward its' target. But that
precious second had been enough to allow Prue to move out of the way.
The fireball exploded on the back wall of the entryway.
"Excellent," said Isladec, smiling. "Your powers are
impressive. And you work together. Most impressive."
"Then you'll love this," said Phoebe.
While Isladec had been preoccupied with Prue and Piper, Phoebe
had managed to move around to his side. She stepped up on a table and
with her other foot, kicked him along the side of his head.
Isladec was knocked backward and fell over the back of the sofa.
In an instant he was up on his knees. He turned and cast a fireball
at Phoebe. But Phoebe hadn't stayed in place. She had moved and was
now standing next to her sisters. The fireball exploded harmlessly on
the wall.
Isladec stood up and faced the sisters. Piper and Phoebe stood
ready to fight him. But Prue stood with her head bowed and her eyes
closed. As if she was praying. Isladec just looked at her for a
second trying to figure out what she was up too.
"I'm behind you," Isladec heard Prue say from behind him.
He turned to see Prue's astral form standing behind him. Before
he had a chance to move, Prue suddenly vanished, her astral form
returning to his body. As he started to turn to face the sisters,
Prue used her telekinetic ability to slam the demon once more into the
wall.
Isladec rose once more and cast a fireball at Prue. But the
sisters had moved again after Prue had used her telekinetic ability on
Isladec. The fireball exploded on the far wall of the entryway near
Leo. Leo immediately moved away from the blast, barely escaping being
injured. Isladec turned to face the sisters once more.
The girls were growing tired, but Isladec seemed as strong as
ever. While he had yet to make a successful attack, it was only a
matter of time before one of them made a mistake. And if one of those
fireballs ever connected with its' intended victim, that would be the
end of the Charmed Ones.
"Sisters," said Prue, "I don't know about you but I think it's
time we played the ace up our sleeve."
"I'm with you," said Piper.
"I came up with that conclusion two fireballs ago," said Phoebe.
Together the sisters turned to face Isladec, ready to cast their
Power of Three spell.
Isladec stood facing the sisters. He must have known what they
were planning, but he made no move to either stop them or protect
himself. The girls didn't question his behavior. They simply began
to recite the spell in unison.
Two hours passed since Cole had gone to the underworld without
any word from him. Phoebe couldn't help but worry about him. Besides
the Charmed Ones, Belthazor was probably the most hated being in the
underworld. Every minute he remained there he risked exposure and
destruction.
Phoebe was in her room when she heard Piper call for her and
Prue. There was a distinct note of urgency in her voice. Phoebe
rushed to the living room where Piper was. Phoebe and Prue entered
the living room at the same time.
Piper and Leo stood just inside the living room. Standing by
the fireplace was a man. He was about sixty, balding, and had silver
hair. He was wearing a suit and puffing on a cigar.
"He just sort of flamed in," said Piper. "Phoebe, is this your
demon?"
"No," said Phoebe. "He was younger and he had brown hair. But
the cigar smells the same."
"Okay," said Prue, to the man. "Who are you and what do you
want?"
"Oh, excuse me," said the man.
His form suddenly changed. Standing in front of the sisters and
Leo was the man Phoebe had encountered two days previously. He had
also dispensed with the cigar.
"That's him," announced Phoebe. "That's the guy who was here
the other day."
"Unlike my contemporaries," said Isladec, "I have no actual
human form. Fortunately, I can assume almost any form I wish."
"Isladec, I assume," said Piper.
"Guilty as charged," said Isladec. He looked at Leo. "Stay out
of this, White Lighter. My business is with the Charmed Ones. There
is no need for you to die again. You would be less than an annoyance
to me."
"He's right, Leo," said Prue. "It's us he wants. And you
aren't really equipped to face him. We are."
Leo moved off, realizing they were both right. He'd just be in
the way. He'd wait in case his healing ability was needed. In a
pinch, he could suddenly orb one of the sisters away, preventing them
from using the Power of Three, and perhaps saving their lives.
Suddenly, Isladec changed form again. He was no longer human.
Instead, he stood facing the Charmed Ones in his demonic form. He
stood nearly seven feet tall, its' black skin glistening in the
lamplight. A pair of horns sprouted from his head and razor sharp
teeth filled his mouth. His cat-like eyes glowed with an eerie red
light. The pointed ears were capable of picking out even the faintest
sounds.
"There are few humans who have seen my true form," said Isladec,
"and lived to tell about it. Now, let us see if this Power of Three
is all that I've heard it is. Shall we dance?"
Prue, Piper, and Phoebe took up defensive stances, ready to
combat this demon.
"Mind if I lead?" asked Prue.
She raised her arm and Isladec went flying across the room. He
tumbled to the floor, rolled, and was instantly on his feet again.
"Call me old fashioned," said Isladec, "but it seems to
unbecoming for a woman to lead."
Isladec raised his hand and cast a fireball at Prue. Just as
the fireball formed and began to fly at Prue, Piper raised her hands.
Isladec froze instantly. The fireball hung suspended from his
fingertips.
"Guess he's never heard of women's lib," said Piper.
The freeze lasted all of one second. Suddenly, Isladec was
freed and his fireball continued on toward its' target. But that
precious second had been enough to allow Prue to move out of the way.
The fireball exploded on the back wall of the entryway.
"Excellent," said Isladec, smiling. "Your powers are
impressive. And you work together. Most impressive."
"Then you'll love this," said Phoebe.
While Isladec had been preoccupied with Prue and Piper, Phoebe
had managed to move around to his side. She stepped up on a table and
with her other foot, kicked him along the side of his head.
Isladec was knocked backward and fell over the back of the sofa.
In an instant he was up on his knees. He turned and cast a fireball
at Phoebe. But Phoebe hadn't stayed in place. She had moved and was
now standing next to her sisters. The fireball exploded harmlessly on
the wall.
Isladec stood up and faced the sisters. Piper and Phoebe stood
ready to fight him. But Prue stood with her head bowed and her eyes
closed. As if she was praying. Isladec just looked at her for a
second trying to figure out what she was up too.
"I'm behind you," Isladec heard Prue say from behind him.
He turned to see Prue's astral form standing behind him. Before
he had a chance to move, Prue suddenly vanished, her astral form
returning to his body. As he started to turn to face the sisters,
Prue used her telekinetic ability to slam the demon once more into the
wall.
Isladec rose once more and cast a fireball at Prue. But the
sisters had moved again after Prue had used her telekinetic ability on
Isladec. The fireball exploded on the far wall of the entryway near
Leo. Leo immediately moved away from the blast, barely escaping being
injured. Isladec turned to face the sisters once more.
The girls were growing tired, but Isladec seemed as strong as
ever. While he had yet to make a successful attack, it was only a
matter of time before one of them made a mistake. And if one of those
fireballs ever connected with its' intended victim, that would be the
end of the Charmed Ones.
"Sisters," said Prue, "I don't know about you but I think it's
time we played the ace up our sleeve."
"I'm with you," said Piper.
"I came up with that conclusion two fireballs ago," said Phoebe.
Together the sisters turned to face Isladec, ready to cast their
Power of Three spell.
Isladec stood facing the sisters. He must have known what they
were planning, but he made no move to either stop them or protect
himself. The girls didn't question his behavior. They simply began
to recite the spell in unison.
