Chapter 6

The Rising

"Kara?" Chris' voice bought her back to consciousness.

"Ungh!" she groaned and turned over "Chris? You OK?"

She felt his presence at her side. She leant to him and pulled him to her, locking her green eyes to his own. Not a trace of the Thrall. Without dropping her gaze she spoke quickly.

"I don't think I can die without having done this." She leaned forward and kissed him quickly and urgently. As she pulled away he grabbed her and kissed her softly.

"Me neither."

She pulled herself upright and spoke firmly. "Your family should be here soon. I left them crystal breadcrumbs."

"Hey! You can't go out there alone! You can't kiss me like that and then go out there alone!" He also stood and grabbed her hand. You're not going out there alone."

They stepped out of the shadows shoulder to shoulder.

The movement was noticed. "You can't save him Kara." Her sister purred "There's only one thing stronger than the Thrall. One thing strong enough to stop The Rising and you don't have it."

Chris whispered "What is she talking about?"

Kara shook her head, quickly, tensely, cutting the question off.

"Why do you need him Eve?"

"We need a male member of the Charmed line. The Elder was protected, so the younger one had to do."

Chris snorted, somehow annoyed that even in this Wyatt should have been first choice over him.

"The Rising is never going to happen. They thought we were the Rising remember?"

The demon Maresh took a cue from somewhere and moved forward. Kara glanced at Chrisand could almost see the Thrall enveloping him. He dropped Kara's hand and stepped towards the demon.

Eve intoned "And from a child of the Second Trinity shall Rise the greatest Evil the world has ever known." Her voice boomed the demonic sermon to her gathered flock of serpents.

"Eve..." the demon broke off from her speech to gaze at her witch sister "...It doesn't have to be like this, I believe you're still in there, somewhere, we can strip your powers, you know what the Rising can do and I can't believe you want that to happen."

"Eve", the demon Maresh called "she's stalling. Kill her!"

"Chris" Kara yelled "FIGHT IT!" She shut her eyes and visualised her thoughts travelling to him.

"I don't think I can die without having done this." She leaned forward and kissed him quickly and urgently. As she pulled away he grabbed her and kissed her softly.

"Me neither."

A shimmer of blue light illuminated the dark candlelit chamber and a new voice chimed into the conversation "So what exactly were you going to do with my youngest son?"

Piper stood with her hands on her hips, as Eve drew Chris to her and threw a fireball.

Phoebe nudged her sister "Piper vanquish now be scandalised by slut demon later"

Kara screamed again "Chris!"

"I don't think I can die without having done this." She leaned forward and kissed him quickly and urgently. As she pulled away he grabbed her and kissed her softly.

"Me neither."

The demon Maresh screamed "Eve, we're losing the Thrall."

"I don't think I can die without having done this." She leaned forward and kissed him quickly and urgently. As she pulled away he grabbed her and kissed her softly.

"Me neither."

The Thrall was broken as Chris hit back and broke the grip of the demon and ran towards Kara. Eve panicked as the Charmed One's began to chant a spell and let off another fireball at her sister.

Lustful demon, paramour of graceless love,

Return below as we are above,

Vanquish this evil, banish the Thrall,

Bring back our nephew and save us all.

The demon race began to scream as one as they began to explode. Kara turned to take in the Charmed Ones and Chris, who arrived just in time to catch her as she passed out.