Okay guys. Astronomy Girl back with another exciting chapter of Tis the Season. Maybe these updates will come a bit more often, we shall see. Anyway, without further ado, chapter 12.
Chapter 12:
A Little Experience
Later that day, March and her Whitelighter relations orbed to the top of the Golden Gate Bridge. March looked out at the flowing traffic beneath her then towards the Bay letting the wind rip through her hair. She was awed.
"It's so beautiful!" she exclaimed with a huge smile.
"Yeah," Paige agreed. "It's a nice place to think."
"A good place to practice," Prue added, reminding them why they had orbed there in the first place. "Try sensing Phoebe and Piper from here."
March concentrated and let her senses flow toward the Manor. She could hear them talking in her head, but she couldn't exactly get a positive read on them. She relayed this to her cousins.
"That's pretty good for a novice Whitelighter," Prue commented. "How's your conjuring?"
"I'm working on it. I still have a hard time doing it at will though. I can't find a trigger."
"Have you tried calling for it? Like what I do?" Paige suggested.
"Okay. I could use something to eat," March thought. "Apple!"
It appeared in her hands with a swirl of orbs.
"Wicked!" she cried taking a healthy bite out of it. "'An apple a day keeps the doctor away.' Thanks for the suggestion, Paige."
"No problem."
"Keep practicing on it. Eventually, you might not have to call for it."
"Okay, Phoebe and I have the summoning spell for Xanthos," May said as they walked into the living room.
"We used the one to summon Cole, just replaced 'Balathazar' with Xanthos," Phoebe added, a distant look in her eyes. Piper knew that she was thinking about her lost love, Cole Turner.
"Got the athame," April said as she joined them.
"Are we ready?" Piper asked.
"No," April confessed.
"Don't be squeamish. Just do it," Phoebe encouraged. "Let's get this over with."
April took a deep breath. "I'm ready."
Piper, Phoebe, and May chanted:
"Magic forces black and white
Reaching out through space and light
Be he far or be he near
Bring us the demon Xanthos here."
A swirl of wind formed in front of them. The girls looked down to keep from looking Xanthos in the eye.
"Hello witches. What a lovely day for a witch slaughter," Xanthos said as he formed.
"Not today Xanthos!" Piper said as she froze him.
Not for long. Xanthos fought through the freeze. "No use trying to put me on ice."
"How about a little heat?" April said as she flung electricity at him. Phoebe threw bolts at him too, obviously channeling April's power.
He shot a energy ball at Piper. She blew it up.
April took the brief distraction to slice a piece of flesh off Xanthos' bare arm.
He screamed in agony, firing up another energy ball.
Piper moved to blow it up, but April was faster. She shot it out of his hand.
"I'll be back witches! It's only a matter of time."
With that, Xanthos shimmered out in an agonized huff.
April quickly picked up the piece of flesh that she had sliced off. "Yuck!"
"Quick, take that to the kitchen," Piper instructed.
April did so, still making disgusted faces as she walked.
"March! Prue!" Phoebe called.
The three Whitelighters orbed in.
"You called?" March asked with a smirk.
Phoebe glared at her.
"Ready to vanquish the bad guy?" March asked, looking at Piper.
"April just got the flesh and took it to the kitchen."
"I bet she hated it," March quipped.
"Let's go, March. I want you to add the flesh since you love to cook so much."
"Okay," March drawled out.
Piper shot her sisters a smirk of her own as she and March went into the kitchen. Curiously, May follwed.
Piper cut the flesh into neat pieces. "Might need it for later. You never know."
She handed a piece to March. April and May looked on with interest, Piper noticed. "Now just it in there and the potion will be done." Piper stepped back, knowing what would happen.
March threw it in the cauldron. Piper watched-
The sisters were thrown back a bit when the potion exploded in their faces. Piper laughed at the astonished look on their faces.
"You knew that was going to happen!" March accused, wiping away the smoke.
"Nothing like a little bit of experience," Piper got out between laughs. She wound up with a conjured pillow in her face.
"Funny, March," Piper exclaimed as they bottled the potions. They handed two to April and May. The cooking duo pocketed their vials.
"Keep these with you at all times."
"Even the blinding potion we cooked up?" May asked.
"Yes," Piper replied. "It may prove a distraction to get away. If you spot Xanthos, don't think about it. Just throw the potion and be done with it."
March took out her potion and gave it an odd look. "Gotcha," she replied tucking it away again.
Piper had the feeling that something wasn't quite right, but shook it off. It was demon hunting time.
Okay, they've got the vanquishing potion ready. Now it's time to snuff the hypnotizing monster right? What exactly did Xanthos do to the Whitelighters? this demon won't be that easy to get rid of! Tune in next time.
Auf Wiedersehen!
Maylee