-1A Half-Breed's Redemption?
By: Dragonstar/ Lunara Dragon

Chapter 12: The Crown of Hera?

Author's Note: Thank you for being patient with me I had started writing this chapter before I went on Spring Break but then while at home I had limited access to the internet, and I also have been sick so while being sick and having homework I did not have much energy to finish it quickly. But I hope I did ok with the chapter. Thanks for the continued support and as usual I do not own Charmed only this fan fiction and the characters that I made.

Underworld, the stretch of the lowest caverns

The Underworld was a massive expanse of catacombs that stretched around under the grounds of the Mortal world above. There were so many caverns that some of the lowest chambers closest to the core of Earth were never inhabited, especially now with the fall of the Source many of lower level demons can wander more freely. These very caverns were perfect if one sought solitude from every type of being.

Telane glided through the caverns with ease knowing the pathways by heart at this point. She glanced around and kept a weary eye for a low level demon that might still haunt her catacombs. She found them on occasion but lately none ever came this far down in the caverns. Her hazel eyes pierced through the darkness as she finally came to a stop and sat back on a large boulder in a more open cavern that was larger then the other narrow caves. She closed her eyes taking in a deep breath to clear her mind as she turned thoughts over in her mind's eye about the next part of her plan.

As she shifted her weight on the rock she sat on she was surprised by the explosion that erupted above her head and opened her eyes to find vines now growing out of no where and wrapping themselves around her wrists. The explosion caused some debris to fall in Telane's blonde hair as she turned swiftly to see three figures standing in the entrance to her cavern.

"Surprise." Cole retorted coolly as he cross his arms in front of him. Piper threw her hands up again and in a swift motion causing the large rock Telane was sitting on to explode as the demoness fell in to the debris and felt the explosion along her arms. She stood but was stopped by the vines now being re-tightened after the explosion around her wrists. She glanced behind Cole and saw the familiar figure of Lillith, with her hand risen causing a small glow that was controlling the vines.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Telane said with fury rising in her voice, her eyes matched with the tone as she looked at the three of them. Piper glared at the woman now in a pile of rocks thanks to her own explosion. Letting her temper rise Piper then released another explosion causing smaller debris to fall from the cave ceiling, she then focused and froze it just above Telane's head as she glared at the woman in front of them.

"I think we'll be the ones asking the questions here." Piper shot back in response. Telane glared as she shifted her hand and shot a weak stream of sludge in Piper's direction. Piper shot her hands up as she froze the attack and Cole released a fire ball sending it up in smoke. At the same time Piper also unfroze the rocks and allowed them to fall on to Telane causing her to close her eyes and look away from them for a few seconds. "Go ahead. Try again. I dare you!" Piper added to her earlier comment. The two women got into a staring contest as Piper threw only one hand up this time and caused a small explosion to erupt and knock Telane back in to the pile of rubble behind her.

"Can you really hurt me Lillith? After all we have gone through together?" Telane questioned over Cole's shoulder to the shorter woman who stood behind her. Telane felt the vines starting to loosen their grip as Lillith looked away from her old friend's face. The two could not make eye contact with each other and Telane then seized the moment as she released a cloud of smoky haze to surround the area. Piper took action along with Cole as they combined their powers. The shorter dark haired woman caused the cavern to freeze while Cole started motioning his hands causing the haze to falter and clear immediately. After the haze cleared Piper set off a loud bang causing Telane to fly against the wall to the left of the trio standing in the entrance and the vines around her wrists to completely snap.

Telane stayed in her sitting position where she had been forced to and glared up in to Piper's medium brown eyes that still held malice. She then glanced at Cole as he stepped closer towards the blonde and pulled her up to himself with an unpleasant force.

"Tell me what the purpose of all of this is." Cole demanded in an angry tone. He shook Telane a little to emphasize his seriousness causing Lillith to take a wary step towards him out of habit. The bluish green orbs met with the blonde's hazel eyes and read the worry in them. Her facial expression did not match the way her eyes lit up with compassion as she wore an expression of anger.

"Like hell I am going to tell you anything." Telane spit at him in response and this caused Piper to get angry. The Eldest Halliwell threw her hands up again and blew Telane towards the wall once more and out of Cole's grip.

"Listen lady! You are going to answer us now. You have robbed me of my destiny seeing as I have to go off battling demons again so I suggest you talk. Unless of course your self healing like your demon brethren, then you might be ok." Piper responded sharply as she got ready to cause Telane's arm to explode. Piper was stopped by a firm masculine hand placed over her two, she looked up to find Cole staring at her now with sympathy.

"If you blow her up Piper, she will be less likely to talk. Do what you have to do!" Cole replied and on the last part turned to face Telane. The hazel eyes met his green ones as she forced herself to stand again and stepped around the trio and in the doorway to the cave. She held her hands up and a soft dark grey glow erupted around the door way and sealed off the entrance.

"There now it will look like we are at each others throats and if my mother tries to find me and senses you three she will not doubt me. But I can not hold it up for long so what the hell do you want?" Telane shot with some fury as she reported what she had done. She turned back around now to face the three as their faces took on different looks of confusion. Lillith was the first to step back and try to analyze the situation.

"What's going on with you Telane? One minute you want to kill us and now you are putting up barriers to help protect are intrusion." Lillith questioned as the worry and anger that built up in her over the past few days finally released as she stepped closer to Telane and fought the urge to wrap her best friend in a hug. Telane looked in to Lillith's eyes and forced a weak smile.

"Simple I wish you would have realized it by now. You and Cole Turner are both very intelligent when last we fought did I really ever try to directly kill you?" Telane responded with her own question. Piper now walked closer to Telane and glared at her.

"What the hell kind of answer is that?" She yelled at the taller blonde haired girl as her brown eyes locked with hazel and both glared beams at each other. Piper raised her hand sending Telane a few feet back with a minor force and added to her previous statement "You're the one that seems to be in a hurry. So explain yourself instead of answering in questions!"

Telane continued to glare but kept her ground as she turned finally nodding her head in compliance to Piper's 'persuasive' tactics. "Fine. I do not wish to kill any of you but I need to stand by my mother. Before you even ask Piper I can promise you the soul of your sister is fine if not a little stubborn and hard headed."

"Great why do you need to stand by your mother's side?" Cole shot back before Piper could respond this time.

"I just do alright! Just hear me out seeing as we do not have a lot of time that is the least you can do. That is the reason you three are down here right?" Telane shot back as her anger rose some more. Lillith stepped closer to her friend and had a stern look on her face but looked between Telane and the other two with her.

"What is it we need to know Telane? We will leave as soon as you tell us that." Lillith reported with her own agitation rising.

Telane looked up in to Lillith's violet eyes for the first time and then nodded cautiously. Piper went rigid and her face still held her own rage but Cole wore a mask of indifference after the two other women in the cave had just exchanged words.

"Go to Maria again and find out more information but be sure to tell her that you have spoken to me already. Piper is going to need your help Cole to tap in to the only thing that can finally destroy my mother and not just imprison her again." Telane began and looked at Cole with a saddened expression.

"Which would be?" Piper forced her voice out in a calm tone as she glared between the demon and the former demon waiting to read their reactions to one another.

"The Crown of Hera. That is all I can tell you for now but please Go!" Telane responded quickly as her barrier around the cave entrance started to fade. Piper went to ask another question but felt an arm being placed over her shoulders as Cole shimmered her out before she could argue any further. With the two gone Lillith took one last look at Telane.

"Will you be alright?" Lillith questioned in a whisper as she stepped closer to Telane who threw a hand up at her fellow Soul Guardian. She refused to answer and just gave Lillith a pained look before motioning for her to leave. Lillith obeyed with frustration and let out a deep sigh before orbing out of the cavern as well.

Halliwell Manor

"Ok I do not think somehow putting us on potion duty was any better then us going against Lamia if their reasoning is because we're pregnant." Phoebe complained to her younger sister, Paige, as the thick smoke rolled off the boiling potion and filling the kitchen with a haze. Paige nodded her agreement as she walked over to the window and opened it as far as it would go allowing some fresh air to fill the room as well.

"Right. But who are we to question the great and powerful Oz, or Turner in this case." Paige replied with a joking manner. Phoebe shot her a look of annoyance before rolling her eyes and joined her sister in front of the open window taking in deep breaths of the cool fresh air and pushing out the haze of the potions. The directions called for the potion to sit now and cool before they could put the reddish ooze into vials. The two girls revered in the moment as Phoebe placed a hand on her bulging stomach.

"Do you really think Lamia could take our children that easily?" The older woman asked breaking the silence as Paige turned her light brown gaze on to her sister's darker chocolate eyes.
"It's a scary thought but yea. Why else would the Elders allow Cole Turner back in to our lives unless they couldn't think of another powerful enough to fight her." Paige responded with a serious tone of her own as the two continued to stare with a hidden fear inside their thoughts. Phoebe finally turned away from the window and returned back to the pot on the stove as the smoke finally faded from the kitchen. Paige followed suit as she pulled a few glass vials out of Piper's cabinet and handed them over to her sister.

"What are you two doing?" Leo asked as he walked in to the kitchen. Wyatt followed his dad in to the kitchen and scrunched his nose up immediately at the smell of their concoction.

"Finishing up bottling the potions that Piper asked us to make while she went along for the interrogation. Remember?" Paige responded as she capped the last bottle.
"It's stinky." Wyatt reported as he looked up at his two aunts. Phoebe and Paige both could not help but laugh at their nephew's comment as Paige walked around the corner and ruffled his blonde hair.

"Yes it is. But you will have to get use to it someday." She replied to Wyatt with a smile crossing her face. Paige bent down to kiss Wyatt's forehead as she heard the shattering of something in the dining room.

"What the hell Cole? I had more questions! Since when were you put in charge of everything?" Piper shot at him as the two shimmered in to the dining room and Piper raised her hand sending Cole across the table.

"Was that really necessary?" Cole asked as he pulled himself to stand and forced his temper down. Phoebe and Paige entered at that moment with Leo and Wyatt close behind.

"Oh so when I want to do it you tell me he's here to help. But now it's ok for you to send him flying across the room?" Phoebe asked Piper with a smirk on her face as she glanced up at Cole who gave her a sarcastic laugh in response. The three sisters turned to face Cole as Lillith orbed in to the room in front of him. The shorter woman looked at the three and smiled as she stepped out of the way.

"Am I interrupting?" She questioned sarcastically as she then turned and smiled up at Cole. The two locked eyes and he forced a smile as well before returning his gaze to Piper.

"Listen Piper I am sorry I took you out of there. But the last thing we needed was to be discovered before you're ready to go up against Lamia. Would you rather I left you there alone?" Cole shot back as he allowed his temper to rise in his tone. Piper stepped away from the comfort of her two sisters and stared up in to his eyes as she still wore her expression of anger, but resigned to shaking her head no. Cole also eased in the moment and then glanced to see that Phoebe and Paige held vials filled with a crimson colored liquid.

"Finished the potion I see." Cole observed as the two headed back towards the kitchen. Phoebe stopped half-way and handed the vial in her hand to Piper who took the tiny bottle and placed it in her pocket. The group followed Phoebe and Paige as Lillith stayed back and watched Wyatt heading towards his playroom where Chris was taking a nap.

"I think I should go talk to Maria. Do you want to come with me? Maybe while we are there Leo and Piper can spend some time with the boys or go do more research. Phoebe and Paige can relax for now I suppose." Lillith suggested as she walked over stopping Cole on his way to the kitchen.

"Or they can go to Magic School and see what they can find out there." Cole added as an after thought. Cole turned and continued his journey to where the Three Charmed Sisters now stood around their newly made collection of Lamanian vanquishing potions, and with Leo behind Piper. Cole spoke with ease about the next step on what each group can do to find out anything there is to know about the Crown of Hera. Phoebe added in her two cents and stated that she would call Coop on his cell phone and ask him if he could talk to the Elders. Coop had Patricia for the day but Phoebe knew it would not be a problem for her husband to take their daughter with him. Cole rolled his eyes at the mention of Coop but Piper agreed that it was a good idea.

"Alright let's split up and do this. Piper I am sorry that your life of normality came to an end, again." Cole responded before turning to leave and go to Maria's office. Piper just shrugged her shoulders and hid her emotions behind a mask of indifference as she leaned back in to her husband, Leo, who now had his arms around Piper.

At the Office of Maria Infinitia

The taller woman stood in the middle of her office as she waved her hands in circular motions causing different books to float around her and open to the desired pages. Maria was researching different methods in seeking and tapping in to items that hold a soul's essence. The room was well lit now unlike usual, where Maria prefers to keep the lights dim in the façade of her office. She peered at the current entry that read the following. A soul that has been trapped in to a magical item is usually for a specific purpose. The essence is usually part of a soul that inhabited a powerful being of one form or another and the captor desires that type of power to be their own. It is usually done by the demonic race, beings unlike warlocks who can not directly steal the magic of other living things. So they kill the vessel and trap the soul…

Maria then marked the page as the book floated to her desk and she motioned her free hand to bring up a scroll this time in front of her. She glanced at the ancient Latin text and let out a deep sigh as the door to her office swung open breaking her concentration and causing all the different types of books and other forms of text to fall to the floor.

"What is it Asmodai?" Maria questioned with some anger in her voice. She was never one to lose her temper but she never hid when she was displeased either. The monk stepped closer to the woman and stared around at the texts on the floor as he bent to offer a hand in cleaning up the mess but Maria motioned for him to stop.

Asmodai allowed his crimson eyes to pierce in to Maria's mind and she flinched at the sudden mental intrusion but forced a calm after a few moments of easing into the process. The monk was sending mental images in to the Keeper's mind and she was used to the process but had not expected it in that moment. After the images stopped flashing in both of their minds eye Maria walked over to her desk and pulled a pad of paper from the top.

"Write down your spell and what you saw." Maria said as she let out a deep breath and handed the paper over to Asmodai. The man took the paper and walked over to stand by her desk and began writing stuff down with one of her pens. While writing he glanced between the paper and the woman who stood to the left of him.

"I think I should pay a visit to our allies, especially the one who shares my gift of foresight." Asmodai began in a low tone as he let the implications roll off his tongue with a bittersweet implication. Maria looked at him cautiously now as she stepped back from him and shook her head no. He stopped writing as he turned his blood colored eyes with no pupil on the orange skinned, Ayman raced woman and stepping closer to her placed his own dark yellow hand on her cheek as he rubbed her face slowly.

"You know as well as I do our place in this world. If we are to succeed this time my love I need to talk to Mrs. Phoebe Halliwell and her younger sister for that matter. I saw the visions and you saw them to. There is no avoiding all of our secrets coming out now." Asmodai said in a sweeter tone as he leaned forward and whispered in to Maria's ear. The last part was in the quietest of murmurs as he added one last thought "I am sorry my love, that I was never the lover you wanted me to be. But it is because of our past that I was forced in to this role." With that Asmodai stepped back and picked up the piece of paper with his incantation scribbled on it. Then held his free hand down to the ground and disappeared from Maria's office in a swirl of dark crimson colored lights that formed a cocoon like barrier around the monk's body before he disappeared all together.

"Great." Maria whispered to herself as she forced tears from falling from her eyes a small glint of bluish purple and red toned orbing lights appeared signaling she had another visitor. This time they came in the form of two people as she saw the forms of Lillith and her charge, Cole Turner, now standing to the side of her.

Halliwell Manor (before the sisters depart to do their parts)

Piper took another deep breath to keep her cool as she closed her eyes and listened to the barrages of her sisters' complaints. Phoebe and Paige had both made it perfectly clear in the last twenty minutes that they were still unhappy about the fact Cole and Leo had decided not to allow them to go. Phoebe was even more displeased about her ex-husband seeming to take charge and telling them what to do. They all agreed it was best to do research but the group was all around not thrilled about the battle still far off and the uncertainty of everything. Leo placed a helpful hand on the small of his wife's back before murmuring he was going to go check on the boys.

"QUIET!" Piper finally yelled catching her two sisters off guard and silencing them for the moment. It had the desired affect as Piper's eyes fluttered open and met with both Paige, and Phoebe. She then continued to speak in a quieter voice "I know we are all displeased about the whole situation. After this is said and done I think we need to find a way to summon ourselves an Angel of Destiny to yell at. But before we can worry about that we need to stop this woman and if the Crown is the only way then we need to learn everything we can about it. Neither of you may like it but Cole is right about a lot of the things he has said and I stand by his decision. You two are not going with me. Got it?"

"All hail the judge." Paige muttered under her breath and caught the glare of Piper and waved her hand in the air. "What I'm just stating the obvious. Apparently ever since our Ex-Demonic enemy decided to play zombie like you played role as Judge and now we are expected to follow. Right?"

"Pheebs, a little help here please." Piper said to the middle sister who glanced between the two and shrugged her shoulders.

"She has a point Piper. But Piper is right to Paige, now is not the time for this. Paige and I will go to Magic School as you asked and see what we can find." Phoebe responded while grabbing the youngest sister's hand and motioning for her to orb. Piper glared at the two glowing figures as they left and shook her head.

"It's alright everyone is just frustrated right now Honey. I promise your sisters will understand after it is over with." Leo spoke sympathetically and surprising Piper on his re-entrance in to their kitchen.

Office of Maria Infinitia

"You have been making a lot of unexpected visits lately Lillith and I can't say I am to pleased about that." Maria reported to the shorter woman who now sat at her desk.

"Cut the crap Maria you know why we are here." Cole was the one to speak up in Lillith's defense as the group sat discussing the reason they were there. Lillith had not asked about the crown yet and only spoke to Maria about the fact she felt like the elder woman was hiding critical information. Cole's temper rose as he glared at the woman he suspected of using them all as pawns.

"And why might that be Mr. Turner?" Maria questioned with her usual cool tone and emotionless mask that she wore most of her life. Her deep navy eyes pierced in to Cole's green eyes as he stood from his seat once more and bent over the desk closer to Maria's face.

"You are the keeper of In-between and you seek to rid the mortal world of Lost Souls. Lamia is malevolent spirit so it did not take long for my suspicions to rise Maria that you are using the sisters in your quest to do your job. If that's the case I suggest you start talking." Cole demanded and the woman's mask fell as she was fully surprised by his statement. She had hoped he would not realize the role she really played in it all but she refused to directly answer him. Lillith now stood as well to try and calm her charge down.
"What do we need to know about the Crown of Hera?" Lillith finally questioned to her boss. Maria stayed seated as she looked between the two figures that stood on the other side of the desk before letting out a frustrated sigh and looking at the mirror that hung behind them.

Cole turned to glance where her eyes were staring before turning back and forcing a calm tone once again. "We also spoke to Telane if that changes your mind at all. She said to tell you we spoke and to tell us everything that you know." Maria now returned her gaze to Cole as she subconsciously stroked the book sitting atop her desk in front of her. She finally forced herself to stand and nodded slowly her agreement.

Walking around the desk Maria stepped forward and waved her hand in front of her mirror, but this time instead of showing her a scene it opened a door way as she motioned for the two to follow her and she stepped through the entrance that opened. As the three figures emerged Cole heard his companion take a deep breath as he took in their surrounding. The portal opened to a magnificent set of living quarters but all the room were connected by more then grand sized doorways. To the right were many beds and some children lay sleeping in them while others played with what he assumed to be nannies. To the right was what appeared to be a kitchen, and a closed door. Maria continued to glide in that direction as Cole became curious about the children that were in the quarters. He saw demonic children playing with leprechaun children, one appeared to be a Halfling child between a demon and a satyr.

"Are you wondering what there all doing here? They are unwanted by their kind and so I take them in. They are all Lillith's younger siblings if you will. Children similar to that of Telane and Lillith." Maria said as she glanced behind her while continuing the excursion towards the closed door. She had seen the look of curiosity that the taller man wore on his face and he glanced down to the short woman that walked beside him. Lillith took a moment to look up in to Cole's eyes while they walked as she nodded her head that it was true. He knew Maria had taken Lillith in but he had no idea the extent that the Keeper of the In-between did for unwanted magical children. The group finally arrived as Maria placed a key in the door way and unlocked it as Cole noticed it let out a strange ringing noise while it was being opened.

It opened up in to another grand room that had a high ceiling and glittering golden walls. Everything in fact made him feel like that they had just stepped through a time portal and back in to the times of Ancient Greece. "Your one of the original Aymans, the 72 factions that came before demons." Cole observed out loud as Maria motioned to the spiraling steps that led to another room filled with ancient books and scrolls. Lillith looked stunned at the collection of book and the looked to her parental figure and forced a smile. Maria motioned her hands as a scroll floated in to the hands of Lillith and she pulled it open revealing it to be written in Greek. Lillith focused and tried to recall the translation spell Maria had taught her in child hood.

"Let the words I can not know,

be scribed for this time,

so that it may show.

In my own mind." Lillith murmured as the words began to glow on the yellowed, crinkled scroll and appear in English in front of her and Cole in the air. Cole looked at the words that flashed in front of them before they returned to the scroll but still remained in English. Maria smiled like a proud parent as she allowed them the time needed to read the scroll.

Halliwell Manor's Attic

Leo Wyatt sat in the dusty attic of his home with a few books surrounding him as he glanced back to the Book of Shadows and then back to the book that sat open in his hands. The Book of Shadows only had a few pages on both the Titans and the Greek Gods. The mythology book he held had so much information on Hera he was unsure of what they needed to know and what was unimportant. Piper remained downstairs with Chris and Wyatt for the time and he had agreed to do the research with the resources they had there.

Leo then stood and grabbed a pen and paper and began writing down facts that he thought was necessary. He scribbled that Hera wore always wore a crown referred to as a polos, a small, high cylindrical crown associated with many of the Goddesses. He also scribbled some side notes the peacock as well as the cow were sacred to her, she was one of the original five Olympians, and was the goddess over marriage and fertility. Leo scrunched his face of in confusion and began scanning the pages again to see if he could find anything specifically connecting Hera to Lamia in mythology or any legends about a part of her soul being trapped in to her crown.

The mythology books all read the same things and told him what he already knew about Hera's connection to Lamia and how she killed the children of Lamia in an act of anger. A chill went up the former Elder's spine at the thought of how angry the gods got at each other and realized that was one of the things that probably brought their downfall from power and gave way to the Founders and Elders. He thumbed through the book a few more pages and found an entry about Hera's power and what she was believed to reside over. She was the wife and Mother Goddess in many ways of the original Olympians, but she also held the title of a goddess of fertility and was usually seen with a pomegranate fruit or other times with the aphrodisiac drug the poppy seed. He was not sure if that would help them any but he wrote that down as well before ripping off the bottom of the note book page and tearing it in to tiny pieces to book mark the different pages with anything about Hera mentioned in them.

Magic School Library

The Magic School's library was filled with text books from both mortals and magic kind a like. The two other Charmed sisters seemed to be a mirror of their brother-in-law, Leo, as they to ran their fingers through different pages in search of what they could find. Paige let out a deep breath before she looked at the books in a pile in front of them and an idea popped in her head.

She held her hands out and focused her mental energy on the pile as she spoke the words clearly "Demonology books." She began as the books erupted in a blue-white light and then the same glow materialized a stack of three books in Paige's hands. Her dark brown eyes lit up with glee as she looked at Phoebe for her suggestions.

"Well talk about a magical library catalog." Phoebe muttered but a smile crossed her face. "Try calling for a book specifically on Lamia and see if it works. I know there were a few in the pile on Lamanians, maybe there is one on just her."

Paige smiled in glee and nodded her agreement before focusing on the pile again and called out "Books on Lamia, and Lamanians." The same scene played out again as a pile this time of five books ended up in her open expectant hands and she smiled at the results again but let out a small breath and shifted the weight of the books to the floor just in front of her.

"Well that worked well. Now to find anything we can about this Crown and how it is connected to Lamia. Shall we?" Phoebe began but went unanswered as she noticed Paige staring at something behind her with a look of anger and surprise. Phoebe slowly turned to find what appeared to be a demon standing behind her. He wore some type of dark colored robes, and had dark yellow skin with scars all over himself in the parts of his body that could be seen. She quickly stood and turned to face the threat all the way.

A small smile quirked on his face as he glanced between the standing figure of Phoebe and the sitting form of Paige. "I mean you no harm." He mumbled in to the room as it echoed off the walls with his loud deep baritone voice. Asmodai cautiously walked a few more steps forward as he leaned in and locked eyes with Phoebe. His crimson eyes sent a chill up the witch's spine as she felt a searing pain in her mind.

"What are you doing to her?" Paige yelled as she stood and saw Phoebe flinching as if in pain away from the look of the man that entered mysteriously. She then yelled out "Book. Demon." and with a blue-white light sent the book flying towards Asmodai who stepped out of the way of it's force. He then continued to pierce in to Phoebe's mind as images began to flash in in her head. She saw herself and Paige watching the battle of Piper and who she could only assume was Lamia.

"Paige wait." Phoebe finally spit out as she pushed the intrusion out of her mind finally and continued to stare in to the pupiless eyes of Asmodai. She then looked more closely and smiled weakly "You're a demonic monk aren't you?"

Asmodai nodded his head and flashed his own grin revealing a line of pointed sharp teeth. "I thought you would be the more reasonable of the two seeing as we have the same gift. I am an Ayman the ones you two read about from the original seventy-two factions. Since then I have been working for The Elders as a monk if you will, I took a vow to right the wrongs that were left behind from my time."

Paige took a step back and stared at him even more curiously before making another observation. "You're the monk whose help we will need. Aren't you?" She questioned to the taller man as he finally pulled his hood back and revealed his bald yellow head with more scars to match the ones on his hands. Phoebe and Paige both took a deep breath to hide their astonishment as he continued to smile at their reactions as he stepped even closer. Asmodai then looked down in to Paige's eyes but she quickly looked away and deflected his mental barrage.

"Thanks but I saw what your little mind thing can do. I'll just allow Pheebs to show me what she saw later. Now care to introduce yourself or anything?" Paige commented to Asmodai but kept her gaze focused on her sister. Asmodai let out a deep laugh before his face took on a grave and almost solemn look.

"My name is Asmodai and you may have already heard my name. It is not to uncommon that I work with Maria and her Soul Guardian often and Lillith knows me quite well. But you are right as well that I am here to help you three with Lamia and finally destroying her." Asmodai stated as his deep voice took on a quieter tone and did not echo over the library this time. Phoebe and Paige both looked at his with surprise as soon as he mentioned who he was. He continued to stand while the other two in his company cautiously made their way to lounge chairs to sit and Phoebe Halliwell placed a hand on her stomach as she placed her weight in to the seat.

"Ok you have our full attention now. Who knew that the ally we needed all along wasn't Cole but was connected through his Guardian." Phoebe observed and stated to both Paige and Asmodai. A weak grin crossed the Ayman monk's face as he shook his head.

"I am here to help you indefinitely. But you will need Cole Turner's help as much as mine if not more. Actually I believe it is the oldest who will need his help you two can not go in to this battle but you will be needed to call on the essence locked in the crown." He began as he turned to read their facial expressions. Phoebe just continued to stare at him and Paige finally met his gaze again as well.

"Tell us everything you know about The Crown of Hera." Paige stated in his pause and he nodded that he was going to. Asmodai walked even closer to them now and knelt to meet them face to face.

"The Crown of Hera is in fact her literal crown. When the Elders took in the souls of the Fallen Gods in to the heavens a part of some of the gods were forced in to objects so that their mortal souls could in fact move on. Hera's essence of her power was trapped in to the crown by the reborn child of Lamia, Scylla. She did it in hopes that one day she could finally destroy her mother because Lamia had become a malevolent spirit not long after her death. With the fall of the Greek Gods was also the lost hope of destroying Lamia except for that small shining hope left locked in the crown. But Scylla alone was not powerful enough to tap in to the essence so Maria and I sent her soul to be reborn. She was reborn in the form of Telane each time Lamia possesses a demon body and rises in power her daughter is there to imprison her. She is the only one strong enough and with the abilities to do it, with some of my magical assist of course. But this time we want to obliterate the threat all together." Asmodai reported to the two sisters as they let it all sink in and stared at him with frustration.

"Great. But that still doesn't tell us where the crown is." Phoebe shot back as her temper rose again. Asmodai looked at her with some of his own anger and shook his head.

"No it doesn't. That is because I do not know where it is hidden." He responded with an angered tone but not at Phoebe, at the fact that he was unable to tell them what they wanted most to hear.

Maria's Library

"Ok if I am reading this right you are saying somewhere in that malevolent spirit is a lost part of Lamia. The part that is Telane's mother? I do not get it." Lillith spoke with frustration. The scroll had revealed more in depth the identity of Lamia and more specifically why Telane hates her so much but yet keeps imprisoning her soul.

"Yes. Telane loved her mother before she went crazy and over time has realized apart of her mother is still in there it died years ago and is being dragged around by the malevolent form of herself. That is why I am helping Telane, to help her mother finally pass on." Maria reported to both Cole and Lillith. Cole nodded his head slowly as he saw Lillith becoming more frustrated.

"You could have told me about this, she could have asked me for help!" Lillith yelled at Maria as her anger released as she pushed the scroll back in to Maria's grasp. She began to pace around the upper level of the library where they stood and ranting about the whole situation and being pushed in to the dark. "Why just tell me that, why did neither of you trust me?"

"It is not that simple Lillith. Telane has dealt with this burden through many life cycles the last thing she wanted to do was put the pain of it on the only sibling she has ever known. You two have become closer then she has to many people through out her life times. But if you want to help her now you are going to need the Crown of Hera and so you are going to have to trust Telane even if you disagree with her way of going about getting it." Maria shot back with sympathy as she placed a small hand on Lillith's shoulder. Lillith pulled out of Maria grasp as she paced back to where Cole was standing and reading a book he had pulled off one of the shelves.

"Oh look I'm in here. Who knew even Keeper of the In-between saw me as a threat or took interest in me." Cole muttered out loud but wore a sly grin as he caught the surprise of both women in the room. He held the book up to reveal a page of his demonic half Belthazor.

"It's not that I feared you. I took interest because you were a half-breed child and your mother was a powerful demon. But your father was a good man." Maria replied simply. Cole just shook his head as he placed the book back in its proper spot before returning to the conversation at hand.

"Alright what role do I play in your scheme? Where is the Crown?" Cole finally cut to the point as he once again got in to a stare down with Maria who looked at him with some defiance in her own gaze.

"I don't know, and neither does Asmodai. Two lifetimes ago when Lamia possessed a demon body and actually allied herself with The Source she hid the Crown of Hera after stealing it from here. Telane had been taken captive and it was the only way I could get her back so now you see why Telane had to join sides with her?" Maria answered but still hid her anger the best she could. Cole returned to Lillith's side, who was still searing with anger and it rolled off in waves as he placed his arm around her shoulders.

"Yes but I do not think Piper is going to like that answer. If you don't mind I think I am going to go do my job now and report back to the sisters. Unless there's anything else we need to know." Cole questioned as he got ready to shimmer himself and the raging Soul Guardian out of the room. Maria motioned for them to leave but stopped as an after thought.

"Lillith, hon. Asmodai is paying a visit to Phoebe and Paige at Magic School. He knows more about the Crown then I do and is telling them what they need to know." She said as a small smirk crossed her features. Lillith's face went slightly pale again as she motioned for Cole to shimmer them out. He glanced between Maria and his Guardian one last time before disappearing and leaving a laughing Maria in their wake.

Halliwell Manor

Piper sat playing with Chris and Wyatt and their blocks. They had built a tower and were telling the mom a story about the tower being a building in the sky where they could fly to and see all the clouds and birds in the sky. Piper grinned at her boys as she looked in to the set of excited brown eyes and pleased blue eyes that stared back in to hers. She was enjoying the few moments with her children when she saw Cole and Lillith shimmer in to the sun room that also doubled as the play room.

"Well that was perfect timing." Cole said grinning as he released Lillith from his grip and bent down to see the tower that the boys had built. "What's this?" He asked with a real smile. Piper looked up at him and shook her head but a smile crossed her face.

"You've been amazing me at every turn lately Cole. Redemption suits you well." Piper commented and Cole looked at her with a surprised expression of his own.

"Really? Don't get to comfortable though Piper I still have a darker side and a temper." He shot back with a sly grin of his own and cocky voice to match it. Piper now glared at him before giving in and rolling her eyes. She noticed Lillith sitting and watching with some hesitation.

"What's the matter?" Piper finally questioned as she stood and walked over to Lillith pulling her to sit down with herself and the boys. Lillith sat as she glanced at Wyatt who walked over and handed her a block.

"No be sad Lillith. You can play to!" Wyatt said proudly. Chris followed his older brother's lead and orbed a few of his blocks towards Cole. He took the blocks in his hand and added them to the tower before glancing back.

"Piper its about the Crown of Hera. The only one who knows where it is, is Lamia herself. That's why Telane's down there." Cole said as the anger rose in his tone again but he suppressed it for the sake of Wyatt and Christopher.

"What?" Piper questioned as she glanced between the two and turned to see Leo entering the room as well with a piece of paper in his hand. Piper repeated what Cole had just told her and Leo froze in mid-walk.

"Well looks like I just wasted a few hours of my life then." Leo said with pessimism dripping in his voice.

"Not necessarily honey. We just have to hope Telane can protect the soul of Prue and find out where Lamia has hidden this crown. Like hell am I giving up now!" Piper responded to Leo as she caught a look from him.

Lillith stood again as she fidgeted out of habit while peering out of the window into the side yard. She smiled as the sunlight sifted through and turned back to look over her shoulder. Cole was staring at her more closely now and a smile spread across his face as he stood and joined her by the window.

"Piper's right Leo, being a pessimist is so unlike you. Besides the monk Asmodai is supposedly paying a visit to Paige and Phoebe at Magic School. After that we will go from there." Cole said to the shorter man and then noticed the look in Lillith's eyes when he mentioned Asmodai.

"If he is visiting them that means the battle is closer then we thought. He only gets directly involved when he has visions of fights." Lillith began as she turned to face Cole again and look in to his eyes with worry. She continued as she now turned to face Piper "If that is the case and he is visiting them. That means they will have to go with you to Lamia's lair. Asmodai never talks to anyone unless he has a vision about them. I don't like this at all." Lillith stated. Cole pulled her to face him again as he lead her back to sitting with Piper before he met both of their gazes.

"I promise you I won't let anything happen to Phoebe or Paige. If they will be needed I am assuming this monk better hope he can protect them! As for Telane we will help her whether she wants it or not. Do you trust me?" Cole questioned and on the last part and he focused his gaze directly on Lillith. She stepped back to him and nodded.

"Why are you worried about Telane, two days ago you hated her? You still disagree with how she's doing this to!" Lillith questioned to the taller man and Piper nodded her agreement.

"Yes well, we both know how worried you have been. Besides if she is our key I am all for helping her right now. I trust him and I suggest you do the same." Piper shot at her before Cole could answer and grinned before returning her attention to the tower and giving the two time to talk. Leo glanced cautiously between the two figures and his wife.

Cole continued to meet Lillith's gaze and she still wore a worried expression as she shook her head with frustration and broke the staring by glancing down to Piper who had gone back to playing with her boys. Leo now sat with them as well and sat the paper he held on to the floor so he could play with the blocks as well.

Cole finally broke her out of her reverie by pulling her in to a tight hug and whispering in to her ear "I promise nothing is going to happen Phoebe, Paige, or Piper. When it's over with you will have your best friend back as well. That is what you're worried about isn't it?" Lillith finally released her anxiety and allowed herself to return the hug as she began crying.

"I am afraid. Not of her not wanting my help, or even needing it. I fear that after this she will just go away and leave me all alone." She whispered into his chest.

"You are not alone though. You have us now but you will have her to unless of course all of a sudden you stopped believing me." Cole said with some sarcasm to try and cheer her up. Lillith didn't answer with words but he felt her hand rise as she pushed away from his embrace and hit him on the shoulder. A weak smile crossed her face and he bent cautiously while staring at her all the while. Finally Cole placed a quick kiss on her forehead before pulling back and smiling at her. She turned to face Piper who was now staring as a grin crossed Piper's face as well.

"Well then. If you two are through I think Wyatt wants you to play as well." Piper said but she had her capricious grin that none had seen in the last two months.

To be Continued-

End note: Once again I am so, so sorry that it took so long. I had a sinus infection along with a fever and believe me when I was not busy with homework, I was sleeping. Being that sick can make a person tired. I promise to go back and fix grammatical errors later but I wanted to get it posted. Do you forgive me for taking so long?

In the next chapter Asmodai will return to the Manor with Phoebe and Paige, will they find another way to get the crown or will they have to depend on Telane?