Princess Pinky – Well, she knew that Connor would be safe with Brennan, and she didn't want to disturb or frighten her son by taking him out of the house at such an early hour. And the way I see it, it's only the Charmed Ones that are connected to the book, as their powers are not just genetic. Every other Halliwell's magic is completely genetic and not connected to the book and therefore it's only the Charmed Ones that lost their powers, and Phoebe didn't have any of her mutant powers restored before the book was destroyed, so she's powerless too! Thanks for reviewing! They're always a pleasure to read!
Prince Halliwell – Yeah, Pamela passed the knowledge that she had hidden in the book years ago. I'm glad you liked all of it and here's the finale! I hope you enjoy just as much as the "A Power Divided" finale. Thanks for reviewing.
Fanmania – I know… :( But there's a sequel! They'll be more info in the final chapter of this story. Thanks for reviewing.
ColePhoebe4eva – Lol, I thought that would be a great twist for her to be blown up. Thanks for the review!
Chyp – Thanks.
Wyatt Halliwell – Read the reply to Princess Pinky to get an explanation on the powers. I deleted the other fic because I didn't have time to maintain it.
Ravenix – Yeah, they're gonna be looking into different brands of magic since they don't have their powers, I'm glad you liked it all! Thanks for the review!
Reborn (1)
Andy cradled a sleeping Lorna gently in his arms as the infant reached her arm out in her sleep. He held her close to his chest, keeping the nine month old child warm and kissing her forehead delicately. The mortal found it strange that he felt more connected to a sleeping Lorna than to all the other kids, there was just something easier about the relationship with a baby.
The darkness of the large nursery was taken away by the light coming from a large cloud of orbs forming in the air. Andy watched as they slowly began to form the Halliwells, along with Leo and Brennan as they reappeared in the room.
The former whitelighter raised a finger to his lips, indicating to them to stay quiet before gesturing to the sleeping children in the variously sized beds. He rose to his feet slowly, putting the baby redhead into the crib next to the big comfortable armchair he had been sitting in moments ago.
All of them walked out into the hallway. Andy closed the door behind him gently before turning to the six urgent looking faces that surrounded him. He shrugged, "What's the problem?"
Paige began to walk down the hallway, towards the large oak doors of the Great Hall, "Problem doesn't even begin to describe what has happened." She snapped, her family following after her, "Aidan!" The witchlighter shouted into the air, trying to summon her boyfriend.
"Hey, you're not as bad off as us!" Piper snapped, following her younger sister, "At least you still have your whitelighter powers. Me and Phoebe have nothing right now." She pointed out as they entered the large area, going towards the sofa "Okay, I need to sit down… I'm feeling a little-,"
"Weak?" Phoebe finished scratching the back of her head as her eyes glazed over, "Yeah, it sorta hit me back at the Manor. It must be something about our powers being completely destroyed." She scowled, going to join her older sister on the large couch.
Paige rubbed her forehead as she walked towards the sofa, sitting down next to Piper and staring up at the rest of her family, "Yeah, I'm feeling it too… What do you think it is?"
"Well, being a witch comes with more than the powers, it changes you. Witches are stronger, faster, and naturally have better reflexes and a higher pain threshold than humans. I guess the comedown is hitting you guys pretty hard." Leo explained, giving the three of them a sympathetic look.
Pamela raised an eyebrow, "Wow, witches kick ass."
"Yeah, tell me about it… My head hurts." Phoebe groaned, "Wait, we've lost our powers before and we've never felt like this, what's different this time?"
"Probably because we've not lost them this time, they've been destroyed, along with the book…" Paige bowed her head before suddenly looking up, "Aidan! Get here right now!"
"Wait, the book's destroyed?" Andy repeated her in disbelief, his eyes widening with fear as he now understood the intensity of the connection between it and the Charmed Ones. The two really were joined in a strong way.
"Yeah, and they're powerless mortals now…" Brennan replied darkly, looking down at the ground.
"Oh thanks, Brennan." Piper sneered, rolling her eyes and looking around the room as her and her sisters wallowed in their misery.
The mutant cocked his head, "C'mon, you know I didn't mean it like that, but we're…" He gestured around to Leo and Pamela, "…Hardly enough to take down… What was his name again?"
"Satanos." Pamela replied, "What a cliché, huh?"
The sound of running water broke through the air as fluid on the floor rose up before crashing back to the ground and leaving Aidan in its place. He frowned at the solemn faces in the room, "What's wrong?"
Paige sighed as she rose to her feet, pulling Piper up with her as she got up, "We've got a lot of work to do…"
Satanos flamed into the dark chamber, beginning his stride before the transportation flames had been snuffed. He stormed around the room, trying to figure out how Pamela had known his true name. It had been part of the spell that had created him centuries ago, all knowledge of him was to be immediately wiped away from books, memories, anything that would be able to thwart him was supposed to have been destroyed. He let out a roar, a blazing fireball appearing in his hand before it flew towards the wall, blasting a chunk of the stone into oblivion and leaving a scorch mark.
"Temper, temper…" A taunting voice cooed behind him. It was a voice he recognized instantly. Satanos turned around, his hand glowing with an eerie blue light before a jet of turquoise energy tore from his hand.
Katrina rolled her eyes as the assault hit her chest. She stood watching it hit her body until it fizzled out, leaving the Seer unscathed and with a smile on her face, "Do you really think I would come back here without protecting myself from you first?"
"How dare-,"
"Don't bother with the threats. I'm beyond your powers now." She said darkly, "Feels good to be truthful, the whole 'powerless evil' façade was beginning to annoy me."
The demon narrowed his eyes, "Then why are you here?"
She paced around him, "The Book of Shadows has been destroyed. The Charmed Ones are now weak, powerless mortals relying on the protection of those around them, who you could easily take down…" Katrina whispered in his ear as she stood behind him, "All you need to do is breach the security of Magic School and you will be able to kill them."
He let out a skeptical chuckle, "And I'm supposed to believe you? How do I know that you're not working with the witches to take me down and that this all a ploy?"
"You don't." She answered simply, walking back around so she was facing him, staring right into his soulless eyes, "But as you've seen, you can hold your own against the Charmed Ones is you have to… Whether or not you could take me down is a different story however, but…" She began to walk away, her cloak swishing the dusty ground, "If I am telling truth, you would certainly be a fool to pass up such an opportunity, wouldn't you?"
Satanos began to process this information before scowling at his former ally, "How is it you have this power over me? It is obvious that you've been manipulating me since the start…"
The redhead thought it over her a minute, before grinning, "There's a saying in the Underworld… 'Behind every great Source, there is a greater Seer'. I'll be seeing you later…" She said before a blinding flash tore through the room, making the demon shield his eyes. He brought his arm away from his face, and she was gone.
Paige scowled as she ripped roughly at the burdock root in her hand. She finally tore large piece off, raising it above the copper pot in front of her and throwing it in forcibly. A mushroom cloud of smoke flew from the cauldron, along with a shockwave that sent the witchlighter across the potion lab, landing on her butt as she hit the floor. She smacked the floor with her feet in annoyance, "Aw… Damn!"
Phoebe looked at the book Paige had been working from, before shaking her head, "That probably happened because you used about ten times more burdock root than you were supposed to."
"Hey, we need all the power we get, so what if I double the recipe?" The youngest Charmed One argued as she got to her feet.
Piper looked up from the book she was working on as she dropped a scarab horn into the pot she was standing at, "Paige, this isn't baking. This is magic, it needs to be exact or it won't work, you've just wasted all the ingredients you used in that potion." She went back to her potion, "C'mon now, concentrate. You're the best at this out of all three of us,"
She walked back to the table, putting one hand on the wooden surface and one on her hip, "I know, I'm sorry, it's just… feeling all a little pointless, you know?"
Phoebe shrugged as she picked up the jar of powdered dragon scale. She poured the blue-green dust into the mixture in front of her until it went from a bright orange colour to a deep purple, smoke began to rise from the pot, "Well, potions are the only thing we can do right now. What do you suggest we do?"
Paige sighed, "I don't know, but I do know that textbook magic is not going to be enough on this one, and all the notes for my experimental potions were in the Book of Shadows…" She bowed her head, "And we don't have time for me to start the long process of trail and error."
"Any chance you can just work from memory?" The eldest Halliwell asked hopefully.
She shook her head, "No, I…" Paige's eyes suddenly glazed over as a grin struck across her face, "… Just had the best idea! Thanks Pipes!" She beamed, enthused with whatever idea had crossed her mind. "Aidan!" She called as she left the room, still with a smile on her face.
A knock on the door made the remaining witches look up. Brennan was standing there with a nervous expression on his face, his fist still up on the door where he had knocked. Phoebe and Piper shared a look, making the eldest Charmed One lift her pot and head for the door.
"I'll just take this to Pam to get it cooled off and bottled…" She said, glancing at her brother in law as she passed, "I'll leave you two to… talk." The witch left with a suggestive note, before hollering for her niece as she walked down the hallway.
"So…" Brennan began, walking into the lab slowly, "I saw Paige on my way here, she seemed pretty pleased with something."
Phoebe raised an eyebrow at this attempt to break the ice, "Oh, yeah, she had some epiphany that she's not sharing. What can I do for you?" She asked with a calm tone, going back to adding ingredients to her potion.
"I just thought we could… talk about… you know." He stuttered, making his wife smile slightly at his nerves.
"When do you leave?" Phoebe suddenly dived in, not being able to stand the awkwardness of the company she was in right now.
Brennan stayed silent for a few moments, gripping the edge of the table so hard that his knuckles were white, "A month… The day after Pam's graduation…" He replied softly, "But that's just a trial run, I'll be back in two weeks, if I don't think it's for me, then I can come back and-,"
"Who are you kidding?" Phoebe gave him a sympathetic look, "You know you'll love it… It's not exactly a secret that you sometimes feel a little useless around here. Getting out there, saving lives, it'll give you the purpose you crave."
"My purpose is to look after you and Connor." Brennan replied strongly, "If it wasn't for you guys, I don't know where I would be… and I don't want to leave you alone for months on end and be worrying about you."
She walked around the table to him, "Honey, I'm not completely helpless without you. I don't want you to stay because you feel obliged to… It's a great experience, one of Paige's friends went out there for two years and his entire outlook had changed. He had spent his time treating people, helping to build schools…"
"But I don't want my outlook to change…" He took her hands in his, "I don't want to lose you just because I wasn't here for you. Especially if it's something I can easily avoid."
"I'm not going anywhere…" She whispered, "We have plenty of time to figure things out. I just want you to know that I'm behind you one hundred percent with this. And before you say it…" Phoebe cut him off as he opened his mouth, "Connor and I will be fine. And it's not as if we'll never see you, months fly by so quickly we'll want you to leave the times when you do come back!" She joked, smiling slightly.
He grinned at her, moving closer a little, "And there's nothing to stop you coming out and visiting me… I mean, we're surrounded by so many people that can transport themselves anywhere in a matter of seconds, you might as well take advantage…"
"Exactly." She draped her arms on his shoulders and clasped her hands behind his neck, "See? It's not as bad as we thought…" The witch leaned up, kissing her husband deeply on the lips as her arms locked around his neck. Brennan placed his hands on her sides as he returned the gesture.
They pulled away from each other, the mutant smiled at her, "You're amazing for supporting me through this…" He said, running a hand across her cheek before pulling her into a tight hug.
Orbs began to light up the dark apartment as Paige and Aidan materialized in the middle of the living room. The witchlighter made a beeline across the room, heading the bookcase that sat behind the recently purchased dining room table, after Paige had destroyed the last one. Aidan cautiously followed her, scanning the apartment and resting a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder.
"Paige, I really don't think we should be here. You're vulnerable right now."
She wasn't listening. Instead, she was fishing around in the bookcase before a triumphant smile spread across her face, "Got it!" Paige announced, pulling out a thick, worn notebook. "Emma gave this to me. It has all the potions she's ever made, including one she was working on for Melinda's illness." The witchlighter explained, "There's also a binding field one she designed for containing powerful agents of magic… It'll be good in a jam."
"You think you'll be able to fight off Satanos with that?" He asked, walking to her side to look inside the notebook, seeing diagrams and complicated instructions that were really only for a skilled potions mistress to look at.
"I don't know, but it's a lot better than the crappy stun potions that Piper and Phoebe are working on. This…" She waved the pad in the air, "Should keep us alive for a little while longer… Shame it didn't work for Emma…"
Aidan sighed as he snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her close and kissing the side of her head, "I'm gonna keep you safe. No matter what…" He whispered.
Paige snuggled into his chest, almost hugging the notebook in her hands as it felt like the last thing connected to her fallen friend. "It's hard to believe that things can change so much in two years… I mean, I never saw myself with kids, let alone being with someone to have kids with! Emma was really the only thing…"
He put his other arm around her, enveloping her in a tight bear hug, "Well, you've got both. And I know that she's not here anymore, but she's always around… watching over us… Lorna… everyone…" He pulled away, running a hand down her cheek, "And I'm here."
She smiled at him, "I know…"
Pamela put the pink fluid filled vial into the velvet satchel around her waist. She quickly looked into the pouch, making sure she had enough room for more potions if need be. The witch turned to Leo, folding her arms at the Elder, who had his eyes closed. "Just what are you trying to do?" She asked skeptically with a raised eyebrow.
He opened his eyes, showing slight annoyance, "I'm seeing if I can sense Satanos."
"Why would you be able to?"
"Because his powers distort…" Leo explained, shaking his head at Pamela's confused expression, "It's hard to explain, but just trust me. Angelic beings can sense stuff like that,"
"Apparently not, since you've been standing like that for ten minutes." Pamela retorted sassily, bouncing on the balls of her feet a little and looking around the room to pretend as if she had never said anything.
Before Leo could reply, the rest of the family walked into the hall, each of them armed with a satchel on their waists, in their hands, or just had potions in their pockets. Paige went over to the table behind her niece, picking up some of the many potions that were still there.
"Were Emma's notes any help?" Leo asked his wife as Phoebe and Paige picked up some more potions.
The eldest Charmed One sighed, "Only time will tell…"
"How about I tell you instead?"
All of them spun on their heels to see who had spoken. Panic pounded in Paige's chest as she came face to face with the demon that had taken her best friend's life just six months ago. Satanos smirked at the obvious terror he was causing as he conjured a fireball in his palm, preparing to fire at whoever was closest to him.
Aidan and Brennan where quick off the mark. The mutant swirled his wrists, summoning as much voltage as he could before hurling out his hands, releasing two powerful tesla coils at the demon. The lightning blasted him in the chest, tensing every muscle in Satanos's body and making him writhe in pain.
Aidan raised his arm above him, balling his hand into a fist before opening it slowly. A sharp piece of ice seemed to be growing above his palm. The glowing blue icicle grew until it seemed to be as big as the elemental himself. Aidan made a small pushing gesture with two of fingers and sent the icicle hurtling towards its target. The sharp object pierced the demon's shoulder, ripping apart the leather jacket as it came out the back.
Satanos smirked, "Heh… Is that the best you have to offer?" He taunted. The icicle in his shoulder began to secrete steam as it melted, leaving nothing but a gaping hole that soon reconstituted, leaving no evidence that there had ever been any damage. The demon threw out his arms, hot blue streams of light flew from each palm, striking Brennan and Aidan in the chest and throwing them in opposite directions "So, I've been hearing rumours…" He began to walk towards the Charmed Ones, who were behind everyone else.
A dagger zipped through the air, landing in the small of the demon's back. A thick black fluid began to flow from the wound. Satanos growled at himself, yanking the athame out of his back and turning round to face his attacker.
Andy stood in the archway of the Great Hall, armed with another dagger in his hand. He let out a small roar as he threw it, watching it spin through the air before Satanos made a turning gesture at it. Time seemed to speed up around the dagger, causing the iron blade to rust and corrode, turning into dust and falling to the floor mere inches in front of its target's face.
"Annoying mortal…" He growled, hurling a recently conjured fireball in Andy's direction. The flaming sphere struck the man in the shoulder, making him spin as he was launched into the air, landing into a large trophy cabinet at the end of the corridor. Blood was seeping from his ear as glass reigned down on him.
"No!" Pamela cried out desperately, beginning to run towards the hallway before a powerful telekinetic force threw her back and into the air. She fell to the marble floor, sliding across the smooth surface and hit her head off a large pillar made of the same material. The witch's eyes scanned her immediate area before her head flopped to the floor lifelessly, falling unconscious.
Leo stood, completely torn. Andy would die if he wasn't healed, but his wife and his two sisters in law would be killed for sure if he didn't help them. He suddenly remembered that Paige would be able to orb out of here whenever she wanted, which made Andy the obvious choice to go to.
Phoebe took a courageous step forward, swinging a punch at the demon's face and immediately gasping in great pain as she did, wincing as she put a hand around her fist. Satanos smirked at the witch's now cowering form.
"Looks like you've lost your power to punch out demons too…" He smirked cockily, creating a fireball and preparing to shove it into her chest to finish her off, "Can't channel anything anymore, can you?"
The middle Charmed One looked up in between the ragged breathes she was still taking, clutching her fist delicately. She backed away, rejoining her sister who held onto her upper arms to make sure she didn't run out again. He threw the fireball, and, at the last minute, Paige concentrated hard and enveloped her and her sisters in a cloud of orbs, making the attack fly through them as they dematerialized, hitting a large table and splitting it in half roughly.
The Charmed Ones reappeared in a swirl of bright lights in the Manor parlour. Phoebe sucked in air between her teeth as she doubled over again from the pain in her fist, which was now shooting up her arm violently. Piper and Paige guided her to the sofa, where she took her hand away from her balled palm, wincing as she tried to open out her fist.
"When I hit him…" She breathed, "It felt as if every bone in my hand shattered…"
The youngest Charmed One rolled her eyes, "Guess we really have taken our powers for granted up until this point, haven't we?"
Piper shot her a warning glare for her negative comment, "It'll be okay, and we'll fix it, somehow."
As soon as the words came out of her mouth, the room began to slowly spin around the three of them. Paige frowned, helping Phoebe up from the rapidly dissolving sofa as they were transported somewhere. The room continued to spin until it all went black, no trace of the Manor was left, yet there was still a moving sensation. Slowly, a new area began to spin into focus, the Charmed Ones had to shield their eyes from the bright white that was appearing, it was everywhere. The spinning sensation ceased, and when the three brought their hands away from their eyes, they gasped in awe at what now surrounded them.
They were in a large white room; the walls were almost undistinguishable from the floor as all could be seen was white, apart from the roof, which seemed to fade away the higher at went up, revealing a beautiful starlit sky above them. Piper and Paige marveled at the sight around them, while Phoebe merely stayed neutral, she had seen it all before. The three of them walked forward, still spinning on their feet to look at every square inch of the area.
"Where are we?" Paige finally spoke her arm suddenly extending upwards as she pointed at something, "A shooting star!" She exclaimed, watching a trail of light streak across the sky for a brief moment before it disappeared.
"Whoa… I'm feeling a little sick." Piper groaned, putting a hand on her stomach as she swayed a little. She looked up from the floor, gasping at who she was standing in front of them, "You guys…"
Phoebe and Paige looked down from the sky to gasp and frown with anger at the sight in front of them. Katrina stood, clad in a white skirt that swished in the warm breeze in the room, accompanied by a simple white tank top. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail as she smirked at the Charmed Ones.
"Sorry about that." Katrina began to explain, "Some people find a little rough ascending to this plane, as it's out of the universal loop so to speak…" The Seer finished with a light smile, "Welcome."
Leo unleashed another destructive barrage of lightning from his palms; it hit Satanos in the chest throwing him across the Great Hall. The demon crashed into the large table at the back of the room, his back hitting the ton of books that lay upon the surface before he fell to the floor through the wreckage.
Pamela groaned as she opened her eyes, her head pounding as she struggled to sit up and lean against the pillar for support. Her vision slowly focused and she saw Satanos rise from the debris of the table he had just been thrown into.
"Is that the best you can do, Elder?" He spat. Leo stood, clearly shaken at the fact that his blast hadn't affected their enemy in the slightest. With a thunderous look, the demon conjured a large ball of deep purple fire in his hand, he squinted at it, causing the sphere to grow in his hand, "You what this is? This is darklighter poison in its purest form…" He taunted before swinging back his arm and throwing the deadly fireball towards the Elder.
Only for it to be blasted apart midway.
Pamela's arm dropped back down once she had blew up the threat, "Leo… get Dad and the kids out of here… now!" She ordered, scrunching up her eyes as she forced herself to her feet, stumbling slightly as she laid a hand on the large marble pillar next to her for support.
"I wouldn't even bother if I were you, squirt." He advised with a menacing tone, "I'm just getting started while, you…" He looked her up and down with a smile, not noticing Aidan regain his feet behind him, "You look as if you can barely stand."
Pamela smiled wryly, "My body may be weakened…" Her head drooped to her chest as blue energy beat from her body, causing an astral pulse to fly from her person and crash into Satanos's chest, where it ricocheted off the demon, flying towards a nearby window and shattering it instantly, "But my soul is still strong…" Pamela finished as she regained conscious, smiling to herself when she saw Brennan get up out of the corner of her eye.
The demon blinked slightly as he regained his footing Pamela's attack, frowning. He had not expected such power from such a weakened witch, it wouldn't last long though, "You think you have the power to stop me? You think those guys…" He turned around, waving his arm at Aidan and Brennan, "Have the power to stop me?" Satanos began to walk towards her, "Well, lemme let you in on a little secret. No one has the power to stop me!"
As soon as he finished his sentence, a massive white sphere of magical energy struck him in his side. It threw him across the floor, making him slide along the marble at a fair speed before he ground to a halt, not noticing the gash in his lip as he stared at his attacker with rage and disbelief.
Prue Halliwell stood at the entrance of the Great Hall, her arms folded neatly across her chest as she returned the demon's glare with just as much rage. She walked forward a little, moving her head so that her raven hair would fall back from her shoulders and go to flowing down her back. "Are you sure about that?" She asked cockily, referring to Satanos's comment before she had attacked.
He grinned manically at her, "Oh look! It's the forth one! Shouldn't you be enjoying a cozy afterlife up there? I mean, when your corpse is rotting in the ground, that's a pretty big indication that you're needed or wanted anymore." The demon spat, rising to his elbows as he tried to get up.
"Why don't you just stay on the floor for the time being?" Prude advised in a commanding tone. Pamela's eyes widened in amazement when the demon seemed to completely stop, his eyes moving around frantically as he realized his limbs had frozen.
"How did you do that?" Brennan asked, not taking his eyes off the paralyzed demon for one second in case he missed something.
Satanos smirked as the parlays began to ware off, "You can't beat me with magic that isn't even yours to begin with."
Prue cocked her head and slightly, "True, but that doesn't mean I don't have some tricks up my sleeve." She opened up her fisted hand, just in time to catch a potion vial that had rolled out the bottom of her sweater sleeve. The deceased witch caught it tightly in her hand, bringing back her arm and throwing it at the recovering demon on the floor. The vial smashed at his feet, the air rippled around Satanos as an unseen dome of energy extended around the demon. The only evidence of magic was the distortion in the air.
Pamela walked towards her mother, still in complete awe of the show of power, "What did you do?" She asked, bewildered at the force field that seemed to be keeping Satanos ensnared and paralyzed.
"Oh, I used one of those potions from that table." Prue answered simply, turning around and gesturing at the table near the entrance of the hall, "I guess it must have been the one that traps him in a binding field."
The teen still stared in disbelief, "I just… How…?"
"C'mon, we better go talk in the other room." The eldest Halliwell sister advised, guiding her daughter towards the hallway where there were many doors that lead to different room. "Well, what are you two waiting for? An invitation? Let's go!" She snapped at Brennan and Aidan, who merely stared at the supposed to be dead witch before following suit.
"Um… guys, this may be a bad time to tell you that I'm a little scared of heights." Piper said timidly, hugging herself as she around her immediate area that would change every second.
Katrina raised an eyebrow, "Don't worry, we're almost there."
The eldest Charmed One looked around nervously. The white area was only a small spec underneath them as they rose and rose through the endless starry sky. While Phoebe and Paige and had marveled about being so close to such wonders, Piper had spent her time with her eyes closed, frightened that whatever force was pulling them upwards would give out any moment and they would go crashing back down.
"We've arrived." The redhead spoke, making the Halliwell open her eyes, hoping to see some sort of floor underneath their feet. She got her wish when they all seemed to be standing on a massive circular platform, except that it was barely visible. There were ripples in the air, indicating that the platform was there, and as Piper peered closer, she saw that it was actually made up of the sky itself.
"Okay, are you going to explain what you want with us now?" Phoebe asked, going to put her hands on her hips but wincing as her injured hand caused her pain as she went for the simple stance.
Katrina walked towards her, "Don't blame yourself completely for that injury. Satanos's structure is a lot stronger than most demons, even if you had had your powers, your fist would have stung a little for a while." She gently took Phoebe's wrist, passing her hand across the Charmed One's hand and instantly making the bruises go away.
"How'd you do that…?" Phoebe breathed, inspecting her hand for anything that would indicate foul play on the Seer's part.
She cocked her head with a smile, "Hun, I'm just full of surprises. But we're not here to discuss me, we're here to discuss you guys and get you back into the game." Katrina said with a stern tone, clasping her hands in front of her and giving the three women a serious look.
"Wait a minute, back up; you've been our enemy for close to a year, you want to help us? Please say I'm not the only one confused here…" Paige groaned, rubbing her temples and not knowing if she couldn't handle anymore revelations.
"I know it's a lot to process, and if we had more time, I would explain to you. But we don't, so, cliff notes version. I'm good, I going to help you get your powers back, and most of the stuff that you'll witness will be beyond both your powers and comprehension, but you're here not only because you have to be, it's because you're also ready…"
"Ready for what?" Piper asked with a skeptical eyebrow raised.
Katrina smiled at them, "To ascend, to become reborn as even more powerful witches than you ever have been before…"
"I'm okay." Pamela snapped, swatting away her uncle's hand as went to heal the bump on the back of her head. She stared at her mother, who was leaning against the bookcase of the classroom. None of this was making sense, how was she here?
"Thanks, man." Brennan briefly thanked Aidan as a large cut on the mutant's arm sealed up underneath the blue glow exuding from the elemental's hands. Aidan took his hands away, smiling and going to face Leo.
"Where did you take Andy and the kids?"
Leo sighed before looking upwards, "Up there, it really is the only safe place for them right now and now that they're up there, the Elders can't kick them out without looking bad." He smiled slightly, thinking that would probably be reprimanded for his ways.
"How are you here? Did the Elders send you?" Pamela narrowed her eyes into a steely glare at Prue, who folded her arms as she brought her back off the bookcase, looking down at the ground.
"The Elders don't have a clue that I'm here. I came on my own power." She replied in a matter of fact way, confusing everyone even further.
Pamela gave her a look, "Right, so you've always been able to throw powerful amounts of energy and paralyze people with just an order?" She said sarcastically, "Where'd did you get the power to come here from?"
Prue sighed, pacing back and forth and keeping her eyes on the floor, "Families have strong bonds, and when you add in being witches, the Halliwell bond is stronger than most." She explained, "We saw what was happening, so the Matriarchs imbued me with their magicks and sent me down here to help. It was through the bond we share that they were able to share their strength with me."
"So you've basically got the magical strength of all Halliwell witches?" Brennan asked his sister in law. This had been the first they had met, and although Piper, Phoebe and Paige had been witches much longer than Prue, they still talked like she had been the best.
"Well, all the dead ones… which, with our family history is quite a lot now that I think about it." Prue looked up, swishing her hair out of her eyes with a slight movement of her head, "Besides, with Piper, Phoebe and Paige completely disappearing off the face of the earth, you guys need all the help you can get!"
Aidan frowned, "What do you mean?"
Prue bit her lip, "You mean you guys don't know that they've vanished?"
"No, they orbed out of here. We thought they would have gone to the Manor or something." Pamela explained, looking at Aidan and Leo who both had their eyes closed, "Anything?"
The Elder opened his eyes, shaking his head as his face was etched in worry. Aidan gave her a similar look. "I can't sense Paige anywhere." He replied solemnly, his brow creased in thought as he began to wonder where she was.
"Oh, you mean it's just going to be us?" Satanos taunted as his large form took up most of the doorframe. "Shame too, I was hoping the Charmed Ones would be joining us, along with that knife throwing mortal…" He growled menacingly.
Prue turned to face him, taking a strong stance and gritting her teeth, "Leo, get everyone out of here and find the girls. I'll hold him off." She locked eyes with the demon, "Stay where you are." She ordered firmly, hoping for his body to disobey his mind and freeze on the spot.
Satanos simply waved his hand across the air, voiding the magic and smirking, "You didn't think that little body control thing would work a second time, did you? I've prepared myself for your borrowed powers…" He said with a smirk.
"How about my actual powers?" Prue asked rhetorically before throwing her arm out across her chest and sending the demon flying into a large marble pillar on the corridor wall. She spun her head around, "Go! We're screwed without my sisters!" She barked.
"C'mon, let's go." Leo said, getting his niece and gripping her shoulder tightly as Aidan and Brennan made their way over to the huddle. Pamela gave her mother a fearful look as Prue left the room to face the evil being in the corridor.
"But what about-,"
"She'll be fine, trust me." The Elder cut her off, his face scrunching up into one of concentration as he orbed the four of them out of Magic School, vanishing in a swirl of bright lights as Prue began her battle.
The eldest Halliwell threw out her right arm, a bright flash of energy ignited in her palm before it flew towards the rising Satanos, who had the wind knocked out of him as it hit him in the chest, before crashing through the marble wall and landing askew in another classroom, crushing a few brittle wooden desks on his way down. The smooth, heavy rock bombarded the demon as it came down on him from the damage he had caused on the wall.
The demon returned to his feet quickly, his hair and clothes covered in the dust he had disturbed in his flight. He hurled a large fireball in Prue's direction, who dived to the side and landed in the Great Hall just in time to see the fireball blow up a chunk of the marble wall. Satanos stepped out of the hole he had created, walking into the hall as the witch got onto her feet. He glanced at a table full of potions to the side of room. With a grin, the demon summoned a fireball to his palm, bouncing it in his hand before throwing it towards the table.
Prue could only put her arm up in front of her face as a destructive explosion tore through the room. The books, shelves, tables, everything that could catch fire was instantly incinerated by the horrific blast that was destroying everything in the hall. The witch concentrated as the heat washed over in a matter of seconds, becoming unbearable instantaneously before a white glow began to wash over her body. The shield guarded her from the searing flames before she couldn't be seen within the mass of smoke and fire.
"Why don't we just start with the basics?" Katrina suggested, staring at the wary faces that were looking at her. The redhead rolled her eyes, "Look, trust me or don't trust me, although if you do the latter you'll wind up dead for sure. It can't hurt to listen to me, right?" The Charmed Ones remained silent, "Oh c'mon! Meet me halfway here!"
Phoebe folded her arms, "If you really are good, you'll give us all the info we need to on Satanos. I mean, what better way to prove yourself to us than to rat out your supposedly former boss?"
The Seer grinned, before turning serious and beginning to pace, "Satanos… Was created to destroy." She began, "I can't really think of a better way to put it. Around five centuries ago, during the time when the old Source was overthrown for the new one, the current Source was desperate so keep his throne. Naturally, he wasn't going to fight himself and get his hands dirty, oh no, he decided he would create a being out of the darkest magicks to protect his place in the Underworld."
"Three guesses for what happened next…" Piper grumbled.
Katrina smirked, "Exactly. Once the Source created Satanos, he realized that he made a creature that could easily overthrow him, instead of aiding his cause. So like all evil beings when they find something stronger than themselves, he sealed his creation away, never to be released."
"Oh please…" Paige droned, moving a strand of hair out of her face casually, "Tell me when the 'and they lived happily ever after' comes up from this crock!"
The redhead looked angered by the witchlighter's comment. She rose her arm, clicking her fingers and instantly disappeared. The three women looked around, confused, before something began to devour the stars at an unbelievable rate, leaving a cold darkness in its wake. It flew over the Charmed Ones, taking away the warmth that had once surrounded them and replacing it with a frigid cold. A high pitched scream tore through the air, reducing the three of them to their knees as they screamed in fear, clutching their ears in vain in an attempt to block out the horrible noise. The darkness was going to swallow them whole…
Suddenly, the scream began to fade away and the darkness started to retreat. The glittering stars faded back into view and the comfortable warmth began to heat them up once again. Katrina reappeared, still with an angry look on her face.
"What… what was that…?" Paige whispered, afraid to get up off her knees.
"That was just a simulation of Satanos's true power, luckily, he's not aware he possesses such a mantle, otherwise you three would have bit the dust way before now. Still think my story's a crock?" She spat, "C'mon, get up, you're the Charmed Ones. You guys are supposed to beat things like that! Not fall to your knees and cry!"
"We have no chance…" Phoebe breathed, taking her hands away from her ears and looking upwards, tears streaking from her eyes, "We can't beat something like that… Even if we did have our powers…"
Katrina rolled her eyes, "I told you he isn't aware that he has that kind of power, but the longer you let him live the more he'll find out about his origins and next time…" She went over and yanked Phoebe roughly to her feet, "It won't just be you three who feel that. It'll be the entire world…"
"But even without him knowing about his true power, we haven't been able to defeat him. I mean, he throws out around like toothpicks in every fight we've ever had against him. We can't beat something like that…" Piper said glumly as she rose to her feet, going to help Paige.
"Okay, maybe I should have gave you the simulation, but-,"
"No, Piper and Phoebe are right. We're screwed…" Paige murmured sadly, holding out her hand for Piper to take it and help her up.
Katrina sighed, rubbing her forehead, "okay, I'm gonna get so busted for doing this, but I don't see any other way to restore your confidence and inner fight, so…" She raised her hand again, clicking her fingers and instantly the Charmed Ones fell to the invisible floor, "You guys better be worth it…" The redhead whispered to herself.
Piper frowned at her new surroundings. Instead of the starry area that had once been the only thing she could see, the witch was now standing on the steps of the Manor. She looked up, feeling the warm sun against her skin. Piper realized that the sun was just the right temperature, it was… perfect.
"Lorna, sweetie, keep your hands out of the dirt please." A soft toned voice said.
Piper turned slightly and gasped when she saw herself, clad in a large sun hat and gardening gloves. The Piper was on her knees, gently taking a baby redhead's hands out of the soil. It was Lorna.
"Pipew!" Lorna whined, thrashing her legs and protruding a fat lip that began to shake.
She sighed, wiping her sweaty forehead with her arm, "Okay honey, just don't make a mess of Piper's newly planted begonias, okay?"
"Kay!" She replied with a grin, sticking her hands into the dirt again and giggling at the feel of the cool dirt in between her fingers on the hot summer's day. The toddler squinted her eyes slightly and a golden glow spread across the flower buds that Piper had just planted. The plants began to grow outwards and as the glow faded, vibrant red flowers were left in their place.
Piper put her fists on her hips and cocked her head in mock annoyance, "Well, don't you just have green fingers!" She exclaimed, making Lorna raise a muddy hand to her mouth which Piper quickly pulled away gently, "C'mon, let's get cleaned up!"
Piper watched as the gardening version of herself walked across the grass and got into the flight of steps leading up the open door of the Manor. She gasped as the Piper completely walked through her with an older looking Lorna, before something on the sidewalk at the bottom of the steps caught both witches attention.
"Mom! Mom! I went on two wheels!" Chris exclaimed as he cycled up in front of the steps, beaming proudly as he put a foot on the ground to steady himself without stabilizers. "Look!" He shouted, catching Piper's attention again and quickly doing a donut on the sidewalk that made both of them grin.
"That's great!" Both Pipers' said. The incorporeal one blinked a little when she realized that her son couldn't hear her. She was seeing the future, but why?
Her thinking was interrupted by Leo running up behind Chris, clearly out of breath and putting his hands on his knees to keep himself up, "Okay Chris… that was… really… really… good."
"Hear that Chris? Why don't go around the block a couple more times and keep your Dad fit?" Future Piper suggested, smirking suggestively at her husband as he glared at her playfully. "Did Wyatt get to Seth's okay?"
"Huh? Oh… yeah, they're going to that new water park that just opened up." Leo explained, putting a hand on his chest as he took a deep breath, "Didn't Paige say she was going to go there?"
"Yeah, I think it's mostly for Emma's sake though, she just loves the water." Piper explained, jiggling Lorna on her hip and keeping the infant's dirty hands away from her mouth.
"Come on Dad!" Chris urged, putting his feet on the pedals and shakily beginning to cycle off. Leo sighed as he put his hand on his forehead, shielding his eyes from the warm sun before running off after his son, who was already at the end of the street.
Piper turned around to see her future self walk up the steps of Manor. She smiled, in all her life, she had never thought herself as the sort of person who would ever wear gardening clothes. Yet there she had been, wearing a thick apron designed to protect your clothes from dirt, and a large hat that the witch never thought would be able to suit her. But even with these changes, she couldn't keep the smile off her face.
Perhaps the future was worth fighting after all.
Phoebe smiled as she watched Brennan let Connor score a goal with the soccer ball the three year old had just kicked. The mutant deliberately dived the other way from the way the ball was rolling into the goals that they had set up in the back garden, letting it roll onto the patio behind the grass. Connor's arms immediately flew up into the air in celebration as the ball past his father, shouting happily and grinning to himself as Brennan picked himself up from the ground.
"Wow! That was great buddy!" He said enthusiastically, picking up the small soccer ball and rolling it back out to his son, who stopped it with his hands and ran back a little, before bolting at the ball as fast as he could and kicking it with all his might.
The ball went through Brennan's legs, who groaned loudly and slapped his forehead, "You are just too good at this game, Connor!" He said with a grin as he went to roll the ball back out to his son.
"Uh huh! Toooooo good!" Connor mimicked, raising his arms and holding up his thumbs in approval at his father's comment. His gaze went past his father and towards the back door, "Mommy!" He yelled, running past Brennan and towards a sight that made the incorporeal lose her breath.
"Hey, sweetie! You hungry?" Future Phoebe smiled, holding a basket of bread and a plate of various toppings. She mostly looked the same, except for the slightly abnormal bump in her stomach.
Connor reached up, putting his hand on his mother's stomach and looking up at her face, "How's ma baby brudda?" He asked innocently, making his parents share a knowing look with a smile.
"Oh, what makes you think it's not a baby sister?" Phoebe asked with a higher tone, setting the food down on the wooden table before groaning, "Aw, shoot! I forgot the mayo, I'll be right back," She went to go back into the house, but Brennan grabbed her wrist gently and pulled her towards him.
"Oh no you don't. You go sit down, I'll get it." He ordered, kissing her lovingly on the lips that was eagerly returned with a smile from his wife.
"Mmm… Okay," She submitted, freeing herself of her husband and guiding her son towards the table, sitting down and handing him a piece of bread, "You got any ideas for the baby's name, Connor?" She asked, pushing the plate of toppings towards him so he had some choice.
"Um… Bwuce?" The toddler suggested.
"Besides Batman names," Phoebe said with a grin, tapping his nose lightly with her finger before going back to get a piece of bed. Her head turned as Brennan came out carrying the bottle of mayonnaise, smiling and holding it up in triumph.
"Got it." He announced, sitting at the side of the table that was next to his wife and grabbing a piece of bread.
Phoebe grinned as she loaded her sandwich with large dollops of mayonnaise. She closed the bottle and turned to her husband, catching his lip on a kiss and putting an arm around his neck as he touched her cheek lovingly. The Charmed One suddenly flinched, pulling back and putting hand on her stomach, "She kicked…"
A smile broke across Brennan's face as he reached over to put his hand on her stomach. The mutant's grin widened even further, "That's daddy's little girl!" He began to laugh, "Looks you're gonna have a soccer buddy, Connor!"
Phoebe leaned back on the hedge where she had been watching her future self and her family. She wiped away the tear trickling from her eye, after everything that they had been, and now with Brennan planning on leaving, she didn't think that she and her family would ever have moments like this. But when she saw the smile on her future self's face, along with the happiness of her son, she start to think.
Perhaps the future was worth fighting for after all.
Paige sighed as she sat down on the bench, smiling as she watched her two children bounce up and down on the see saw of the play park. The sun was setting over Golden Gate Park, let a family was still within its grounds. The witchlighter narrowed her eyes slightly as she spied on the couple that was lying out on a picnic blanket. Aidan was lying down with his arm around Paige as she rested her head on his chest. Both of them were looking up at the stars that were beginning to shine through as the darkness of night crept up on them.
"Beautiful…" Future Paige murmured, looking as the stars began to fade into sight.
Aidan kissed the top of her head tenderly, stroking her hair, "Funny, I was just about to say the same about you…"
The witch narrowed her eyes and smiled, sitting up slightly and looking at the elemental, "That may just be the corniest thing you have ever said to me." She said with mock anger, "Say anything else like that and I will be forced to kiss you."
Aidan raised an eyebrow, "Oh right, like that wasn't worse than what I said, although I would be extremely pleased if you were to follow through on that threat of yours."
"Oh I bet you would." She replied saucily, leaning up slightly and catching his lips in a passionate kiss that forced the two of them to sit up so they could continue a lot easier. Paige sat on the bench, completely aghast at what she was seeing.
"Dear God… When the hell did I become so Hallmark?" She exclaimed to herself. Although she was finding hard not to smile at the happiness radiating from her future self. Maybe this was something that did appeal to her, just to a part that hadn't yet formed. Paige certainly couldn't deny that she was glad her children were playing happily and that she would love to have a peaceful life, but not right now, there were so many things she wanted to do.
In the future perhaps.
Katrina watched the three sisters began to come around, each of them blinking a few times as they steadied themselves on the invisible floor by holding themselves up their hands before standing up completely, still slightly dizzy after coming back into their own bodies. Phoebe looked around at her sisters, silently asked them if they had also seen the future.
"What did you see?" The redhead asked, keeping a neutral expression as she faced the women.
"Happiness." Piper suddenly blurted out, making both of her sisters eyes widen in the fact she had been the first to talk, "Happy children… Happy lives… Complete lives…Is that even possible?"
"It is if you guys stop doubting yourself and return to the kick ass confident witches you were years ago. Through everything over the past three and half years, you guys have most something, and it's something important. You need to reach deep within and find it again, to fuel your souls with passion for what you were charged to do all those years ago." Katrina said, frowning as she delivered this morale raising speech.
"But we don't have any powers." Phoebe pointed out.
"Not yet." The Seer retorted, "Close your eyes…" After many skeptical glances, the three of them took deep breathes and shut their eyes, "Now, find that place, find what was given you the energy and strength to fight all these years… Love, responsibility, a desire to do what's right… Find it, grab it, and shake it down until you've got everything you can from it!" Katrina grinned all of a sudden, "Open your eyes, girls,"
The sisters opened their eyes with a sigh, before gaping at what was floating in the air in front of them. Deep blue hardened leather covered the delicate ancient pages that exuded sheer magic, while a silver triquetra stood in the centre, raised from the cover slightly and gleamed in the starlight. Piper reached out, taking the book in her hands and immediately she felt a familiar tingle.
"Is this the…?"
"The Book of Shadows has been reborn, as have your powers." She pointed at the book, "It's more powerful than ever before, it has everything the old book had, including all the entries you've made, and some new stuff that you'll just have to find out about on your own." She winked with a smile.
Phoebe and Paige huddled around their older sister, running their hands over the smooth royal blue leather before tracing the shape of the metallic triquetra with their fingers. All three sisters smiled every time their hands come into contact with book, taking a small breath as they did.
"You guys feel that too?" Paige asked, closing her eyes as a ghost of smile played on her lips, a hand running across the Book of Shadows as she did.
"Yeah…" Phoebe whispered back, "It's… us!" She looked up at Katrina, "How do we get our powers back?"
"You get them the same way you got them a decade ago…" The Seer replied, obviously suppressing a smile behind her pursed lips, "Say the spell together and re-receive your abilities."
"But what about the Tribunal?" Piper frowned, knowing that their powers had been taken for a reason. To teach them a lesson.
"Trust me, sweetie, the Tribunal don't have a say in what happens up here." Katrina retorted sassily, "Now say the spell quickly; your family needs help with Satanos. Help only you can give."
Not waiting another second, Piper opened the front cover and flipped the title page and onto the spell that would return all their powers. The three of them gazed at the beautiful penmanship on the charm, before concentrated and going to read, "Hear now the words of the witches, the secrets we hid in the night… The oldest of Gods are invoked here; the work of magic is sought… In this night and in this hour, we call upon the ancient power… Bring your power to we sisters three, we want the power… Give us the power!"
The three witches gasped as they felt an amazing energy rush through their bodies, changing them and reforming the Power of Three in doing so, while restoring all the abilities they had picked up over the years. A wind gathered around the three, their hair whipping around before the Book of Shadows shut itself, the cover flipping back over and the silver triquetra glowing brightly.
"How do you feel?" Katrina smirked, seeing the look of ecstasy on their faces as they came down from feeling the power rush through them.
Piper just gaped, "Wow…" She whispered, not being able to shut her mouth.
"Okay, you guys need to go. Now. You can orb out of here, they need your help." The redhead urged.
The eldest Charmed One frowned as she tucked the Book of Shadows under her arm, linking with her sisters and preparing to leave, "Wait, aren't you coming?"
"What?" She let out a laugh, "Oh, no, I've got some important things I need to take care of; I'll be seeing you guys later though."
Accepting her answer, the Charmed Ones were slowly consumed in Paige's orbs as they disappeared, going back to Magic School to rejoin the fight. Katrina turned around, making a quick gesture and summoning a large crackling sphere of energy. It was slightly transparent so she could see within the floating white energy, "Very important thing s to take care of…"
Within the sphere, a woman floated in the centre. She was curled up into the fetal position, and the only thing striking about her comatose state, was the long flaming red hair that looked as if it would cascade down to the small of her back if it wasn't floating eerily along with the woman herself. It was Emma DeLauro.
"The Charmed Ones aren't the only ones to be reborn…"
Small fires sprouted everywhere within the destroyed Great Hall. The once proud marble pillars had been knocked down, lying in half or knocked over into more wreckage. Massive chunks of the walls had been vaporized, leaving the room exposed to the sky above as bricks, marble and mortar continued to fall from the ceiling, falling into fire and causing them spread. Soft sandstone crumbled underneath Satanos's feet as he walked over it, turning towards what remaining of the corridor that led out of the hall.
He smirked, his face covered in various cuts and bruises, "C'mon Prue, is that all you've got? I'm not even tired yet." The demon passed a hand across his face, making the welts and injuries disappear instantly, "See?"
Prue winced as she touched the cut just her eye. She was certainly worse off than her enemy. Her clothes had been torn in the cataclysmic battle, revealing cuts on her arms, legs and all over her body. Soot was covering her usually slightly pale face, as her cheeks now burned with heat. The witch took slow breathes, leaning against one of the only standing pillars for support. She grinned wryly.
"I'm nowhere… near… finished…" She breathed, opening her mouth as wide as she could as a pulse of white light flew from it. The energy crashed against the demon's chest, doing no damage and only succeeding to weaken Prue further. She slid down the pillar, finally losing the battle and drifting into unconsciousness.
He began to walk towards the down witch, smirked as he outstretched his hand and grasping her limp body by the neck. Satanos brought her closer to his face, "You're pathetic…" He whispered menacingly, tightening his grip and beginning to force Prue's spirit back to the afterlife.
"I think you should put her down."
Satanos whipped his head around, back to the Great Hall to see the Charmed Ones standing above the rubble. He glanced at the large book underneath the eldest's arm. The demon began to get suspicious of the aura that surrounded the three witches. Something was different. Dropping Prue from his grasp, he turned towards them with a smile and a shrug.
"It's not like she's really who I'm after, glad you guys are back, now I can finally stop wasting my time with the cannon fodder you call family." He made a step towards them, but was stopped when Piper outstretched her arm. There was a low rumbling sound before a stalagmite suddenly flew out the ground at a forty five degree angle, smacking the demon in the chest and throwing to the back of the corridor.
The demon growled, he wasn't going to be beaten. He had faced them before when they had had all their powers, this time would be no different, he wouldn't let it be different. Satanos got back up to his feet, sprinting down the wrecked corridor, determined to kill all three in this very moment.
"Back off!" Phoebe suddenly growled, a globe of white psychic energy hovered in front of her forehead before flying towards her enemy's head, throwing him back a few feet and making him groan with pain. "Oh! I so missed doing that!" She squealed, clapping her hands excitedly.
Satanos groaned loudly as he put a hand to his forehead, he certainly hadn't missed her having that power. The demon decided that it was too risky to remain, especially when he saw Prue beginning to stir. He shot a heated glare of rage at the Charmed Ones, before wisely flaming out.
Paige put her hands on her hips, smirking sassily, "Don't mess with Charmed Ones…"