CORRUPTED

Note: Alright… last chapter! Whoa, this story sure is long! I've never written such a long story before! Well, I had a great time coming up with this story, and I really appreciate all the support and the reviews. Thank you so much. It's those encouragements that persuaded me to keep writing. Thank you.

- wanabepiper: Thank-you! I'm not a big fan of Buffy, so I have no clue as to what's up with all that Angel's death and stuff… yeah, I'm strictly a Charmed fan! Thanks for all your reviews!

- Revul Ylloh: Thanks for the review.

- piper132: I'm sorry to make it sad again… looks like I'm one of those sadistic writers who likes to kill everyone off. Thanks for all the reviews you've given me.

- Piperperson: Thanks for always reviewing whenever I have a new chapter!

- Trunks Ichijouji: I really appreciate the review. Thanks. Ha, Piper does like killing, doesn't she?

- Starring Piper: I really appreciate the support you've shown me in the last few chapters. Thanks.

- Astral Master: Thanks for the review.

- Charmed Fanatic: Thank you so very much for always leaving such long reviews. You seriously spend so much time analyzing my stories, and I feel extremely flattered. Thanks.

Chapter 24

-Underworld-

Piper staggered weakly, and collapsed on the hard ground painfully. The extreme agony arising from her tortured mind caused her face to be contorted into a grimace of pain. All the guilt from the anguished cries of dead innocents surfaced, drowning Piper into a deep ocean of intense suffering. The scene of Phoebe's death kept repeating in her mind, driving her to a fit of insanity. She just killed her baby sister! In her entire life, Piper could never dream of hurting Phoebe… yet, she had just killed Phoebe with her own hands. And worse, the evil in her enjoyed every last second of Phoebe's struggle for survival. Try as she might, Piper just cannot escape the image of her sister's dead body.

'What have I done?' Piper thought enraged at her own actions. Until now, she hadn't even paused to reflect on the thousands of deaths she caused within the past week. The slaughter… all her doing… she was good! How could she have done such a thing? The mere thought of her sadistic side disgusted Piper to no end. All these years of saving innocents did not compare to the amount of deaths she caused. Giving life is harder than taking life…

Piper knows that it's too late for redemption. No one will ever accept her for good again. She alone brought the Underworld to its greatest reign – on the cost of thousands of lives…

No, Phoebe messed with her mind! She's evil. Just one more step away to ruling the world. She can't give it up now!

With every ounce of energy the good Piper possessed, she fought the evil. 'I must fix this!' But the struggling evil made this task impossible, for to control time takes a great deal of power. Finally, deciding that her efforts were futile, Piper decided to use the evil's destructive nature to her advantage. She didn't waste anymore time, and created a shield to prevent any demons from escaping. Piper knew she has no rights to a life after her evil deeds – she might as well take down as much evil as possible.

Furiously, Piper attacked every demon, warlock, Darklighter, gremlin… in her sight. They didn't stand a chance, as her intense fury fueled her, giving her immense power. Those above were safe from the assault, but there weren't even a dozen of them left.

Piper fell to her knees, exhausted. Still, she stands. Every wound inflicted healed.

She screamed in agony from all the pain she has caused.

-Manor-

"When I get my hands on her, I'll kill her so slowly, that she'll be able to experience all the pain she's caused so many people!" One witched shouted furiously after Prue healed her.

Prue did not respond, for she too was grieving over her baby sister.

A shimmering figure interrupted everyone, as Piper shimmered in.

"You!" The witches cried in rage, as one of them threw an anthame into her chest. Piper calmly pulled the dagger out, and dropped it onto the ground unceremoniously.

"Here, let me help you," she stated evenly, before using telekinesis to bring the power stripping potion to her. Tossing the cork on the ground, Piper drank the potion in one gulp. Like Cole, she fell onto the ground, crying in pain.

Prue and Paige watched the scene, confused at Piper's actions.

"Die! You murderer!" Someone shouted, as she plunged an anthame into Piper's heart. The same anthame Piper killed Phoebe with…

As the evil powers left her, so did her power of invincibility.

The witch removed the knife and proceeded to plunge down again, but was stopped by Prue.

"What are you doing?!? She must pay for what she did to my family! And to all the other families!"

Prue ignored the witch's outburst, and knelt down next to Piper. Holding her hands out, she waited for the soft, warm, amber glow to appear. It didn't.

"Don't bother, Prue…" Piper gasped out, gripping her sister's hand gently.

"Piper…" Prue choked out.

"I'm… sorry…"

Prue kissed her sister's hand gently.

"I-I-I… want… to die… good… But no matter… no matter how… how many demons I've… k-k-killed… I can never… wash away… all the evil… evil I've done…" Piper managed to whisper, as blood flowed unceasingly out of the corner of her mouth.

Prue ignored the growing puddle Piper now lay in, and soothingly whispered, "Piper, you are good. Believe in yourself. It wasn't you. You will never do anything like that! You're good Piper."

"A… good, good person, wouldn't… wouldn't kill…"

"No. It wasn't you! Piper, hang on! Don't leave me!"

"Prue… I-I-I… don't want… to die… evil…"

"You're not," Prue stated firmly.

"No one… else thinks… so."

"No! They do! Don't you?" Prue shouted anxiously at the other witches.

"She murdered my family!"

"She's as evil as evil goes!"

"The devil's spawn!"

"EVIL!"

"Shut up!" Prue yelled in frustration, cradling Piper closer to her.

"I… love you… Prue… I'm sorry…" Piper whispered weakly, a tear trickling down her face, as her last breath left her.

"NO!!! Piper! Piper! Piper!!!" Prue cried hysterically, tears streaming down her cheeks. Taking a deep breath, Prue shakily kissed Piper on the forehead, before closing her sister's eyes.

-One week later-

Prue stared blankly at the tombstones before her. The death of the Charmed One caused great grief among all witches, but no one mourned for the Source. Despite all the good she's down for the past few years, everyone remembered her as the evil leader who destroyed without a conscience.

The government is in turmoil; the world, chaotic. A handful of good witches and a handful of demons survived, both sides ready to fight for the future.

Piper's funeral was small and simple, with only herself and Paige present. In one day, she lost both her sisters… One died a hero. The other, a traitor. Piper deserved to die a hero. But no one else could see that. No one else mourned for the greatest good witch of all. She was merely a puppet of the evil that controlled her… but no one is willing to accept that.

"You are good, Piper," Prue whispered, as she set down a single white rose on the tombstone.

-THE END-