SEVENTEEN

"This is impossible," gasped Piper. "We vanquished you. You're dead."

"Foolish witch," hissed the Source. "How little you truly understand your opponents. I could never be vanquished by witches, not even the famed Charmed Ones. Your supposed 'vanquishing' simply forced me from your world into this one. Here, I am unchallenged. There are none here who have the power to oppose me."

"That can't be," said Cole. "I was also the Source. When they vanquished me I was sent to the Wasteland as all demons are when they are vanquished. I had the same power you had. This has to be some sort of trick."

"Belthazor," said the Source smiling, "you were the Source for only a few months. I was the Source for more than five hundred years. Surely you know that we grow more powerful the longer we exist. And I had all the power of the underworld at my disposal. In five hundred years that can add up to a great deal of power."

"What do you want?" Paige asked.

"I would think that would be quite obvious," said the Source. "I want to avenge myself. To make you pay for what you did to me."

"So you plan to kill us, is that the idea?" questioned Piper.

"Oh no," said the Source. "Your being here is a much worse punishment than simply killing you. You two shall spend the rest of your lives here as the property of a demonis. And you shall live with the knowledge that your daughter will also become the property of a demonis. All of your progeny shall live out their existence as slaves. A fitting punishment for those who dared challenge me."

"I won't let that happen," said Cole. "I won't be the slave of anyone. Here, I'm a demon. One of the elite as they have been called. And I won't allow you to make them slaves."

"Ah yes," said the Source. "Join me, Belthazor. The demons of this realm do not possess power anywhere near what we possess. If you join me you can rule at my side. No one can oppose us."

"Not likely," said Cole. "I'm not a demon any longer. Despite what happened earlier I'm nothing like I was before. I won't join you. I'll do everything I can to oppose you."

"That will be very little," said the Source. "I see you have your White Lighter with you. Shame he is nothing more than a mere shade in this realm. Still, he will serve as an effective demonstration of the power I wield here."

Suddenly the Source reached out and an energy ball formed in his hand. The energy ball streaked across the small clearing the party was standing in. It struck Leo and he screamed in agony. Suddenly the energy ball flashed and Leo was nowhere to be seen.

"No," screamed Piper. "What have you done to him?"

"I've destroyed him," said the Source. "Now you see the extent of my power. That is why I chose to remain here once you had 'vanquished' me from our world. I have more power here than I ever dreamed in our realm. And there are no witches to contend with. Here I am more than just the Source. I am a god. Unopposed by even the most powerful being here."

"The Oracle will stop you," said Margaret. "There is no being more powerful than the Oracle."

"I have disposed of the Oracle," said the Source. "Not even its power was enough to stand against me. I must admit it was more difficult than I first imagined. But in the end not even it could withstand my power."

"You slime," said Paige. "If you think we're just going to stand here and let you make us slaves you have a lot to learn."

"And how shall you stop me?" questioned the Source. "Here you have no powers. You are nothing more than gadlings whose purpose it is to serve the demonis."

"We'll find a way to stop you," said Piper. "After all the years of fighting us and you still don't understand us. We will never willing give into you."

"You are a fool," said the Source. "There is nothing you can do about it. I am all-powerful here. And without your powers you have no chance to oppose me. You will become slaves. And I promise you many years of torment and pain before you become the guest of honor at a donlo. And when you die you will die with the knowledge that your daughter will follow you. As will all your female progeny."

Suddenly Paige reached down and picked up a rock from the ground. She threw it directly at the Source. He barely moved. His hand came up and the rock suddenly stopped, suspended in mid-air. Then it fell back to the ground.

"Stupid girl," said the Source. "Do you think a mere rock could harm me? I am the Source of all Evil. I am the most powerful being in this realm. Not even Belthazor has the power to oppose me. Do you think you can oppose me?"

"I intend to try," said Paige. "Like we said, we won't go quietly."

"I see," said the Source. "Your sister will be much easier to manipulate. She will be concerned with her unborn daughter. But you do not have such a weakness. I can see I will have to deal with you differently from her."

The Source suddenly reached out and another energy ball flew from his hand. It impacted with Paige and she vanished in agony as Leo had only moments before.

"No," screamed Piper, looking at the scorched mark where Paige had stood only a moment before. "You monster. She couldn't even defend herself. There was no reason to kill her."

"Perhaps not," said the Source. "But I found it so enjoyable. You, however, will live. I can destroy your daughter without causing harm to you. And I can make that destruction slow and painful. So if you value the life growing inside you then you won't cause me any trouble."

Piper stared at the Source. She knew he was right. It was one thing to risk her life against him. But she couldn't risk her daughters' life. Her maternal instincts would kick in and she knew that she would do whatever it took to protect her unborn child. Suddenly Cole shimmered slightly and changed form. Belthazor stood facing the Source.

"No," bellowed Belthazor. "You have been vanquished. You are no longer the Source. I will not allow you to usurp the position that rightfully belongs to me. And I will not allow you to cause them any more distress."

"You are as big a fool as these witches," said the Source. "Not even your power is great enough to oppose me. Had you chosen to join me you would have been revered as a god. Now I will have to destroy you so that you do not become a problem for me."

"Not this time," bellowed Belthazor. "I served you once. That time is ended. Now I am the master. And it is you that shall be destroyed."

Margaret moved over and stood next to Piper.

"You won't harm Piper's baby," said Margaret. "I may not have my powers but I'll find some way to stop you."

The Source simply stared at the three smiling. Suddenly the Source began to fade and within seconds vanished completely. Belthazor stared at Piper and Margaret for a second and seemed to be concentrating hard. He shimmered slightly and returned to his Cole Turner personae.

Piper looked around and saw Leo and Paige standing where they had been when the Source had killed them. Margaret was also looking around in total confusion. Piper looked at Leo and then at Paige and then at Cole.

"Okay," Piper said finally, "what the hell just happened here?"

"You have been granted audience with the Oracle," said a voice behind them.

They all turned to find a small figure standing at the entrance to the cavern smiling at them.