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CHAPTER 10
Leo raised his hammer, and swatted at the nail protruding from the doorframe. Just as he was about to hit the nail, the very air around him seemed for a moment to fold in on itself, and then bulge. The hammer in his hand missed its target, and clipped his thumb. He gave a howl, and dropped his tools, sticking his thumb in his mouth, and Piper put her head around the corner, and burst out laughing.
"You look just like Wyatt, sucking your thumb like that," she said, when she could talk.
"You can laugh," he muttered, inspecting his wounded thumb, "But it hurt."
"Oh here, let me see, I'll kiss it better for you," said Piper playfully. "Clumsy, clumsy,"
"Well I was distracted," said Leo, "Is Paige casting spells?"
"No, I don't think so," replied Piper, holding his hand, and rubbing her thumb over his. "Why?"
"Didn't you feel it?"
"Feel what?" she asked, tilting her head to look at him.
"It was like – a disturbance – in the air,"
"Oh, a disturbance in the Force, you mean?"
"Yes," replied Leo, "Could you feel it?"
"No Obe Wan Kanobe, I didn't feel anything. I told you not to stay up late watching that Star Wars marathon the other night."
Leo pulled his hand away. "O.K. – laugh at me – I felt something. It wasn't the Elders – but they may know..."
"Oh no you don't buster," said Piper "No orbing out of here when you don't have to. Today I want you to spend with us – don't go chasing trouble. The disturbance in the 'Force', may not have anything to do with us."
At that moment, they heard a piercing scream from inside the house, and they both turned and ran through the kitchen, into the passage, then up the stairs, colliding with Paige outside the main bathroom door.
"Phoebe, what is it, what's happening," yelled Piper, hammering on the door. "Help, Leo, Oh Leo – "was all they could hear, "LEO!"
After only a second's hesitation, Leo put his shoulder to the door, and thrust his way into the bathroom, closely followed by Piper and Paige.
Phoebe was crouched in the corner of the bathtub, barely covered by a wet towel, pointing in horror at the wall.
"What's happened sweetie, what's the matter?" asked Paige urgently, as Leo and Piper looked around for intruders of the demonic kind.
"Get rid of it, please, get it out of here!" stammered Phoebe, pointing at a large black spider crawling up the opposite wall.
"Oh Phoebe, don't tell me you scared us all silly over a spider?" demanded Piper. Phoebe drew herself up indignantly.
"It was on my hand - It crawled out of the towel, onto my hand!" she said in explanation. "It was on my hand. Oh yuk, I can still feel it. You know I hate spiders," she said to Piper, shivering with revulsion. "It was on my hand! ON MY HAND!"
"So you are saying, it was on your hand?" asked Paige, innocently, and Piper rolled her eyes and made to swat her on the shoulder. Leo trapped the spider in a glass, and left the bathroom, Paige and Piper following behind, Paige laughing a little, and Piper exasperated.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jael stood very still, in the corner of the room, breathing very fast, still shaken by the way in which Cole had been overpowered and taken. It had happened so fast he had been glued to the wall, cloaked by his invisibility. He stood that way for a long time, before re-materializing and approaching the sofa, where Cole had been sitting. There was a large bloodstain on the cream seat, and also on the floor. There was also a scorch mark on the wall and one on the sofa, near the blood. Jael looked at the stain wondering what to do. He knew he should be doing something; Cole had saved his life, and helped him at the expense of his own, however at the moment his mind was blank. The only people he knew were the keepers and priests at the library, and it was clearly unsafe to return there, besides which, they were not fighters. The guards had obviously tracked his shimmer back to the hotel, thinking it was Cole's, and maybe they didn't know about him, but Toben had seen him once, and he didn't want to draw attention to himself again. He cursed himself for being a coward, but couldn't think of anything to do. He sat down in the chair by the window, away from the bloody sofa, and put his head in his hands.
He did not see, nor did he feel the woman shimmer into the room, until she reached out and put her hand on his shoulder, he looked up quickly and she was standing above him.
His heart accelerated into his throat, and fear swept though him in a flood. He started to fade, but her fingers dug into his shoulder, and she shook her head. "Don't try and hide from me, Librarian," she said in a soft, but very firm voice.
"Where is he – where is Belthazor?"
"Your side has already got him," said Jael bitterly. "They overpowered him with some sort of chain they put around his neck. I suppose you came for me?"
The woman looked at him steadily, and finally he looked up at her and gasped. "Zoranne – I didn't recognize you! Everyone thought you were dead – vanquished a long time ago – even Cole – I mean Belthazor thought you were gone."
"Did he really," the woman replied dryly "That would explain why he never bothered to look for me then."
"The Source had everyone informed of your demise. Raynor said he saw it happen, he saw those English witches vanquish you."
"Really?" she said again, and pursed her lips in disgust. "Well Raynor has a lot to answer for – it was his cowardice that caused our confrontation with that particular coven – and if he had bothered to stay around to help, or even come back, he would have realized that I was only captured, not killed."
"Raynor's dead," said Jael "Cole – I mean Belthazor – killed him."
"You can call my son Cole, if that's easier for you," said the demoness, walking back across the room. "I believe that Belthazor is no more, anyway. I had heard about all the happenings – my son being sent by the Triad to kill the Charmed Ones, and ending up killing them instead.. I heard it all, how he married the witch – was used by the Seer – how a lot of the upper level population was decimated, when she was destroyed – Even how he came back from the Wasteland – obviously he's done that twice now, with more power than had ever been seen before."
Jael nodded – "Is there anyway we can rescue him?" he asked hesitantly. "He saved my life, and doesn't deserve to be a trophy for Zaytak to parade around."
Zoranne sat down at the small table. She looked at Jael, and then suddenly dropped her head into her hands.
"I have been searching for him, since I got back," she told Jael. "I could not believe he had been vanquished. Then I heard about the witch, and I paid her several visits. I had to see if the baby that is in that house was Cole's, if somehow he had survived. And I had to see if the witch loved Cole, or if she hated him now. – "She lifted her head, and Jael got the impression of tears – but from someone like Zoranne that would be impossible.
"If I had felt that she did not love my son, she would be dead. Even now, months after she believes him to be vanquished, her heart aches. That is why she is still alive. However, I will deal with her and her family of witches, when I have Cole safe. Even so, they will pay for any hurt he has taken. Are you willing to help me, Librarian? Will you walk through the fire with me, to rescue my son?"
"Yes," he said "For he saved my life in the Wasteland, and helped me regain my powers – and he was also a friend to me, not only lately, but many years ago, when we were young. He saved me from many a beating."
"I thought I recognized you," said the seductress, narrowing her eyes. "You were often hanging around with Belth – I mean Cole. How is it he came through the Barrier, not once, but twice?"
"He found a way to absorb the powers of the demons that were vanquished. But there is something wrong, this time – he says he feels like the powers he acquired in the Wasteland are slowly eating him from the inside out. The first time he came back, he said he went crazy, this time the powers are not affecting his mind, but are destroying his body. He is sick – like a human gets sick, and although he had tried to hide it from me, he is a lot weaker than he is used to being. I don't think he will survive very long, in Zaytak's tender care. I don't think, if they vanquish him, he will survive another trip through the Barrier!"
"Zaytak would know not to send him to the Wasteland again. He would use an atheme, he would make sure this time. I guess I'd better see what assistance I can get – and go a rescue my son."
She shimmered out of the room, them a moment later back into view.
"Are you coming?" she asked, and Jael followed.
CHAPTER 10
Leo raised his hammer, and swatted at the nail protruding from the doorframe. Just as he was about to hit the nail, the very air around him seemed for a moment to fold in on itself, and then bulge. The hammer in his hand missed its target, and clipped his thumb. He gave a howl, and dropped his tools, sticking his thumb in his mouth, and Piper put her head around the corner, and burst out laughing.
"You look just like Wyatt, sucking your thumb like that," she said, when she could talk.
"You can laugh," he muttered, inspecting his wounded thumb, "But it hurt."
"Oh here, let me see, I'll kiss it better for you," said Piper playfully. "Clumsy, clumsy,"
"Well I was distracted," said Leo, "Is Paige casting spells?"
"No, I don't think so," replied Piper, holding his hand, and rubbing her thumb over his. "Why?"
"Didn't you feel it?"
"Feel what?" she asked, tilting her head to look at him.
"It was like – a disturbance – in the air,"
"Oh, a disturbance in the Force, you mean?"
"Yes," replied Leo, "Could you feel it?"
"No Obe Wan Kanobe, I didn't feel anything. I told you not to stay up late watching that Star Wars marathon the other night."
Leo pulled his hand away. "O.K. – laugh at me – I felt something. It wasn't the Elders – but they may know..."
"Oh no you don't buster," said Piper "No orbing out of here when you don't have to. Today I want you to spend with us – don't go chasing trouble. The disturbance in the 'Force', may not have anything to do with us."
At that moment, they heard a piercing scream from inside the house, and they both turned and ran through the kitchen, into the passage, then up the stairs, colliding with Paige outside the main bathroom door.
"Phoebe, what is it, what's happening," yelled Piper, hammering on the door. "Help, Leo, Oh Leo – "was all they could hear, "LEO!"
After only a second's hesitation, Leo put his shoulder to the door, and thrust his way into the bathroom, closely followed by Piper and Paige.
Phoebe was crouched in the corner of the bathtub, barely covered by a wet towel, pointing in horror at the wall.
"What's happened sweetie, what's the matter?" asked Paige urgently, as Leo and Piper looked around for intruders of the demonic kind.
"Get rid of it, please, get it out of here!" stammered Phoebe, pointing at a large black spider crawling up the opposite wall.
"Oh Phoebe, don't tell me you scared us all silly over a spider?" demanded Piper. Phoebe drew herself up indignantly.
"It was on my hand - It crawled out of the towel, onto my hand!" she said in explanation. "It was on my hand. Oh yuk, I can still feel it. You know I hate spiders," she said to Piper, shivering with revulsion. "It was on my hand! ON MY HAND!"
"So you are saying, it was on your hand?" asked Paige, innocently, and Piper rolled her eyes and made to swat her on the shoulder. Leo trapped the spider in a glass, and left the bathroom, Paige and Piper following behind, Paige laughing a little, and Piper exasperated.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jael stood very still, in the corner of the room, breathing very fast, still shaken by the way in which Cole had been overpowered and taken. It had happened so fast he had been glued to the wall, cloaked by his invisibility. He stood that way for a long time, before re-materializing and approaching the sofa, where Cole had been sitting. There was a large bloodstain on the cream seat, and also on the floor. There was also a scorch mark on the wall and one on the sofa, near the blood. Jael looked at the stain wondering what to do. He knew he should be doing something; Cole had saved his life, and helped him at the expense of his own, however at the moment his mind was blank. The only people he knew were the keepers and priests at the library, and it was clearly unsafe to return there, besides which, they were not fighters. The guards had obviously tracked his shimmer back to the hotel, thinking it was Cole's, and maybe they didn't know about him, but Toben had seen him once, and he didn't want to draw attention to himself again. He cursed himself for being a coward, but couldn't think of anything to do. He sat down in the chair by the window, away from the bloody sofa, and put his head in his hands.
He did not see, nor did he feel the woman shimmer into the room, until she reached out and put her hand on his shoulder, he looked up quickly and she was standing above him.
His heart accelerated into his throat, and fear swept though him in a flood. He started to fade, but her fingers dug into his shoulder, and she shook her head. "Don't try and hide from me, Librarian," she said in a soft, but very firm voice.
"Where is he – where is Belthazor?"
"Your side has already got him," said Jael bitterly. "They overpowered him with some sort of chain they put around his neck. I suppose you came for me?"
The woman looked at him steadily, and finally he looked up at her and gasped. "Zoranne – I didn't recognize you! Everyone thought you were dead – vanquished a long time ago – even Cole – I mean Belthazor thought you were gone."
"Did he really," the woman replied dryly "That would explain why he never bothered to look for me then."
"The Source had everyone informed of your demise. Raynor said he saw it happen, he saw those English witches vanquish you."
"Really?" she said again, and pursed her lips in disgust. "Well Raynor has a lot to answer for – it was his cowardice that caused our confrontation with that particular coven – and if he had bothered to stay around to help, or even come back, he would have realized that I was only captured, not killed."
"Raynor's dead," said Jael "Cole – I mean Belthazor – killed him."
"You can call my son Cole, if that's easier for you," said the demoness, walking back across the room. "I believe that Belthazor is no more, anyway. I had heard about all the happenings – my son being sent by the Triad to kill the Charmed Ones, and ending up killing them instead.. I heard it all, how he married the witch – was used by the Seer – how a lot of the upper level population was decimated, when she was destroyed – Even how he came back from the Wasteland – obviously he's done that twice now, with more power than had ever been seen before."
Jael nodded – "Is there anyway we can rescue him?" he asked hesitantly. "He saved my life, and doesn't deserve to be a trophy for Zaytak to parade around."
Zoranne sat down at the small table. She looked at Jael, and then suddenly dropped her head into her hands.
"I have been searching for him, since I got back," she told Jael. "I could not believe he had been vanquished. Then I heard about the witch, and I paid her several visits. I had to see if the baby that is in that house was Cole's, if somehow he had survived. And I had to see if the witch loved Cole, or if she hated him now. – "She lifted her head, and Jael got the impression of tears – but from someone like Zoranne that would be impossible.
"If I had felt that she did not love my son, she would be dead. Even now, months after she believes him to be vanquished, her heart aches. That is why she is still alive. However, I will deal with her and her family of witches, when I have Cole safe. Even so, they will pay for any hurt he has taken. Are you willing to help me, Librarian? Will you walk through the fire with me, to rescue my son?"
"Yes," he said "For he saved my life in the Wasteland, and helped me regain my powers – and he was also a friend to me, not only lately, but many years ago, when we were young. He saved me from many a beating."
"I thought I recognized you," said the seductress, narrowing her eyes. "You were often hanging around with Belth – I mean Cole. How is it he came through the Barrier, not once, but twice?"
"He found a way to absorb the powers of the demons that were vanquished. But there is something wrong, this time – he says he feels like the powers he acquired in the Wasteland are slowly eating him from the inside out. The first time he came back, he said he went crazy, this time the powers are not affecting his mind, but are destroying his body. He is sick – like a human gets sick, and although he had tried to hide it from me, he is a lot weaker than he is used to being. I don't think he will survive very long, in Zaytak's tender care. I don't think, if they vanquish him, he will survive another trip through the Barrier!"
"Zaytak would know not to send him to the Wasteland again. He would use an atheme, he would make sure this time. I guess I'd better see what assistance I can get – and go a rescue my son."
She shimmered out of the room, them a moment later back into view.
"Are you coming?" she asked, and Jael followed.