TEN
Talistar walked up to the cavern and saw a strange demon standing guard outside. He glanced around but saw no sign of the two demons he had placed to guard his precious prisoners.
"Who are you? Where are Skel and Takkis?"
"I am Pron, milord. They said I was to watch the prisoners while they attended to other duties."
"Worthless," Talistar spat out. "Their orders were not to leave the prisoners alone for a second. At least you seem to be able to follow orders. I've not seen you before. Where are you from?"
"I'm from the lower chambers, milord. Skel said if I did a good job guarding the prisoners you would reward me."
"Yes. In that much he was correct. Do you know what prisoners you are guarding?"
"Only some humans. I was told they were very important to you."
"Indeed they are. Well, Pron, it seems you are much more trustworthy than Shel or Takkis. Perhaps I do have use for you. You know who I am, of course."
"You're Talistar."
"Yes," said Talistar smiling. "And very soon I will be gaining even more status in the underworld. I will have need of underlings I can trust. Perhaps you are one such underling."
"I strive to please you, sir. I have been in the lower chambers a long time. I can be very useful to you. And I would be loyal."
"Just see that your ambition doesn't push you too far. Shell and Takkis will soon learn what it means to disobey me. Follow my orders and you could well find yourself in a more prominent position in the hierarchy."
"That would please me."
Talistar turned and entered the chamber without another word. Pron watched him enter, a slight smile on his face. As Talistar entered the chamber, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige sat on a small outcropping of rock. Cole stood across the room. Talistar surveyed his prizes.
"Well, I never expected you to come so easily. I had expected more from the famed Charmed Ones. And Belthazor. You surrender yourself because of the witch? You've grown weak."
"We only did it to save our father," said Phoebe, rising to face the demon.
"Of course," said Talistar. "Your love for your father. That is your weakness. Your concern for others. It robs you of the true strength you could otherwise possess. Evil is so much simpler. None of those distracting rules you are forced to abide by."
"Enough chic chat," said Piper. "You want something or you wouldn't have brought us down here. Let's get this over with."
"My, my, so impatient," said Talistar. "But you are quite right. If I had wanted to kill you Adasar could have done that once you had the binding bracers on. You're worth quite a bit to me alive. More than I would have thought possible for our mortal enemies."
"You mean to Beelzbor," said Cole. "It's funny. I would never have thought the two of you would ever work together."
"As the humans say, times change. Beelzbor and I have discovered we have more in common than we might have thought. And what we have to gain is enough for us to put our differences aside, at least for the moment."
"You're already one of the most senior demons in the underworld," said Cole. "Unless you're planning to go after the Source there's not much higher you can rise."
Talistar just smiled at Cole.
"You're going after the Source?" Paige questioned. "You must be totally insane. From what we know about the Source not even you have the power to oppose him. If you did you would have done it long ago."
"True," said Talistar, "but as I said, things change. Soon the Source will appoint a new Triad. I must thank you for vanquishing them, Belthazor. If you hadn't we would never have the opportunity we now have."
"Glad I could be of help," Cole said sarcastically. "And getting us is going to get you appointed to the new Triad?"
"Exactly," said Talistar. "And that's just the first step. Once our plans are complete we will rule the underworld. And with the Charmed Ones out of the way there will be no one to oppose us."
"I'm sure the Source will have something to say about you running the underworld," said Cole. "Not to mention Malevant."
"We won't have to worry about them," gloated Talistar. "When we are ready to make our move not even they will be able to stand against us."
"You and Beelzbor are going to stand against the Source?" Cole questioned. "I know that even together you two don't have that kind of power. And with Malevant at his side all that's going to happen will be the two of you will get vanquished."
Talistar just laughed.
"How little you know, Belthazor. They will give us the power we need to remove both the Source and Malevant. And we have you to thank for it."
"Me?" questioned Cole.
"Oh, not for anything you've done," said Talistar. "The fact you even exist. Most human-demon hybrids are woefully inadequate. Very little power to speak of. But you, Belthazor. You've proven what power a hybrid can possess. I believe it's because your mother was a demon. With their help we will recreate what you've done. And no demon in the underworld will be able to stand against us."
"How do you figure?" Piper asked. "We know Beelzbor has a female down here. But that doesn't explain how capturing us is going to give you all this power."
"It's very simple," said Talistar. "The Power of Three combined with the power of an upper level demon. You will bear Beelzbor's offspring. The power of the Charmed Ones will be reborn in the next generation of demon. When they are old enough those offspring will remove both Malevant and the Source. Beelzbor will take his place as the new Source. And I will rule at his right hand. The undisputed rulers of the underworld. And no demon will ever have the power to challenge us."
The girls just stared at Talistar who continued to gloat over his victory.