Oni-Gil: I was hoping you would say something like that! I kept replaying that music in my head and heard Ewan scream...man he's hot! (ahem) Anyway thanks for continuing to read and enjoy! Thanks for finishing my picture and I can't wait to see you so we can watch ourselves on the big screen, you know...catching fire and forming force-fields and turning invisible and stuff like that...
Patricia L. Bryans: Let's just hope the Charmed Ones can save the day! They don't always, you know! Thanks for reviewing and thanks for begin the one to keep my story going!
Aussie-Soccerfreak4: Well, now that Mia Hamm won the ESPY, life is good. And it's so great to have a friend like you that I can talk to anytime, even if you are "Down Under" and "in the Bush" and "chasing kangaroos" all the time:) Love ya, cobber!
Dr. Magic PhD: Here's what happened with the cliffhanger:
Kings Lioness: I love leaving you guys hanging! It's so entertaining!
Chuckles1414: Thanks so much for your continuous vote of confidence. It was you who told me to write the story for me and not for reviews! I appreciate that so much!
Catreddick4: hehe. Thanks for reviewing and reading! Your words mean so much! Oh, and have I mentioned that CAT REDDICK ROCKS?
A/N: I should just stop writing author's notes cause I really have nothing to say in them. I had an idea, but being blonde (no offense to any other blondes out there!) I forgot already! But that happens at my age...17? Yeah. That's the forgetful time! Anyway, just three words for you: The action continues!
-20-
Nothing escaped from between Heather's lips except for a small noise of surprise and her jaw dropped as she felt the knife slid between her ribs and slice into her insides. Her eyes and face wrinkled with shock and surprise as soon as she knew what was happening, and after she felt the handle touch her skin, which was almost immediately from the power of Lynxe's thrust, she knew the knife was all the way inside of her, and then everything in her body went numb except for the pain. She was still moving forward as hilt met flesh, and finally Heather stumbled against her assailant, one hand slapping to Lynxe's which was holding the knife, the other to the demon's chest, as Heather's legs gave out and she tried to brace herself, as if she would survive that way. As she did so, however, she coughed and gasped, her body held up against the demon's, her eyes staring at the handle protruding from her stomach, then they raised to stare into Lynxe's in the utmost shock.
The moment the blade had cut into Heather's stomach and the Charmed Ones raced into the cave, Piper suddenly cried out and stopped dead in her path before clutching her own stomach and gasping as if it was she who had been stabbed and not Heather. Her breaths had become harsh then, and she whimpered in the pain that had suddenly engulfed her. Stupefied, she managed to look down at her hands as she felt warm liquid fighting to break between them. It was clear that she too had a stab wound that extended all the way inside of her stomach as Heather's did, but no one had touched her, nor come near her.
Heather choked again, swallowing hard, and both of her hands now clasped around Lynxe's wrapped around the hilt protruding from her body. Warm, crimson blood leaked slowly between her fingers and dripped onto the dusty floor as she stared, wide-eyed, into Lynxe's menacingly merciless yellow ones. Watching the woman's expression cruelly, basking in her victim's pain, the demon's mouth twitched in a triumphant smile and she shoved the knife even further into Heather's body, forcing the woman to her knees as she choked again, her eyes squeezing shut now in agony, her heart beating fast. The amount of pressure suddenly put on the knife cased the bottom of the hilt to actually force itself into the wound, causing it to expand even more and gush copies amounts of blood that then dripped down Heather's legs to form a puddle on the floor.
Prue was next to Piper when Piper fell to her knees also, gasping at the same time as Heather, the pain cutting deeper on her insides. She moaned slightly as Heather did the same, choking and swallowing back blood that was rising in her throat all at once. Prue, surprised and not knowing what was going on, watched dumbstruck as blood seeped between Piper's shaking hands and dripped to the floor. "Piper!" She whispered. "No!" She gasped, holding out her arms and catching her sister as she dropped and trying to hold her up, as if she would recover miraculously.
Lucy's vision had tunneled and narrowed when she entered the cave, and she saw nothing but her sister's pain-stricken, white face. "Heather!" She screamed, her lungs protesting. She didn't care about the other demons in the room, nor did she see Zoltof still staggering around, clawing at his face, but only saw her wounded sister and the blood...the blood. Her mind clouded with anguish and the young witch ran forward towards Heather, oblivious to everything but her sister's pain and the demon inflicting it, determined to rescue her.
"Lucy! No!" Paige and Phoebe tore after their charge together, leaving Piper and Prue on the ground, and raced towards Lucy, Heather and Lynxe, trying to catch Lucy and hold her back. They knew that running full steam at this demon was suicide, especially when they were unarmed, and Lynxe held the knife, but they couldn't let their charge face possible death alone. But the reckless Magicked One did not realize how much danger they were all in.
Seeing the three coming towards her and knowing that they were too late to save the eldest Magicked One, Lynxe calmly looked back down into Heather's moist brown eyes and grinned into her face, betraying her absolute glee. The witches were no threat now! "Farewell, witch!" Roughly, gleefully, she twisted the knife inside of Heather, earning herself a satisfying grunt of pain from the witch, and then jerked the athamae from Heather's body, leaving a hideous and wide stab wound. She stood up straight at last, having been bent over as Heather had fallen to her knees, watching her victim with tears of joy in her eyes. Heather grunted harshly once more, wincing unconsciously, feeling her insides rip open and flood with blood, then her eyes unfocused and clouded over, and she collapsed sideways into the sand, her blood staining the ground crimson as it pulsed from her wound with each fading heartbeat. The same time the knife was wrenched from Heather, Piper's body jerked in Prue's arms and as Heather fell, so did Piper collapse further into Prue's outstretched arms, her blood running over her now limp hands and onto Prue's lap. Prue had gotten into a kneeling position with her sister in her arms and tried to hold back sobs as she felt Piper's warm blood run through her shirt.
Upon reaching the demon, Phoebe sprang at Lynxe in a flying kick, catching the her off her guard as she swung around quickly, sensing her and holding up the red-stained athamae. The demon fell to the ground with a screech of fury as Phoebe's foot connected with her chest and she slid across the dirt from the force of it, but still managed to grasp the knife. Alerted at last by his second-in-command's yell, Zoltof managed to squint open one painful eye and he saw the five witches run into the cave again, as if it had not happened yet. "No," he murmured, hands over his face, watching Phoebe kick out, then turning her gaze on Paige, who had engaged in a battle with another demon. "No! This cannot be! They cannot escape! NO!" Then, with a roar of fury and with not thought to his dignity, nor his demons, he vanished from the cavern in a blast of powerful green light, away from harm and unnoticed by anyone but Paige, but she couldn't stare for ever. The demon she fought came at her fiercely again.
Phoebe cried out, alerting Prue, who looked up, her eyes filled with tears and Piper in her lap, bleeding, and just in time to see Phoebe crash into the stone wall, striking her head on the rock hard surface. "Prue!" Paige shouted, desperately, trying to ward Lynxe off as Phoebe slid to the floor and lay motionless, a small stream of blood running from her scalp and onto her clothes. The demonic woman grinned at Paige, still clutching the bloody athamae.
"Come to me, young Charmed One! You are not one I have seen before, but I shall enjoy killing you like I did that one!" Lynxe hissed, pointing at Heather, who was lying still in Lucy's arms.
"P-Prue." Piper's voice was soft below her eye level. Prue looked back at her wounded sister and was shocked at what she saw. The warm brown eyes were fighting to stay open, but they were misting over slowly and there was nothing she could do. Piper's warm, full mouth was slack and her face was ghostly white and dotted with beads of sweat. She was dying.
"No, Piper," Prue breathed, gathering Piper closer to herself, but Paige's call sounded again, urgently.
"PRUE!"
Overcome by wanting to be in two places at once to help each of her sisters, Prue gasped and her chin quickly dropped, her body falling limply against Piper's. A red astral flash appeared at Lynxe's shoulder instantly and Prue appeared, looking around as if trying to figure out something, then she knew she had used her astral projection powers without knowing it. Quickly getting control over herself, she faced Lynxe, tapping her on the shoulder. "Hey," Prue smiled grimly at the demon as Lynxe turned halfway around, then lashed out. Her fist connected solidly with Lynxe's jaw and the demon grunted in pain, clutching her face, distracting her enough for Paige to intervene and help.
"That was for my sister, bitch!" Prue snapped, her anger welling inside her, and she almost pursued Lynxe, but Paige's voice stopped her.
"Athamae!" Paige commanded, but in her haste to disarm the demon, forgot to use her powers to turn it against Lynxe. The knife appeared in her hand in a flurry of white lights, still dripping in Heather's blood, but Paige was so revolted when her eyes flicked down to the knife blade that she couldn't think to do anything.
Unarmed and suddenly nervous at the sight of Astral Prue beside her (whom, through her panic thought was the real Charmed One), and Paige in front of her holding the bloody athamae, Lynxe panicked even more and did not even think as she shimmered away to safety.
Astral Prue's eyes met Paige's briefly and she nodded slightly, then she flashed out suddenly, returning to her own body. With a sharp inhale, the real Prue woke up and sat straighter before she remembered that Piper was in her lap. Hearing a whisper almost immediately after entering her own body again, Prue ducked her head to Piper's mouth. "Piper, I didn't hear-"
"It…it hurts, Prue," Piper was whispering shakily. "I-it's…killing m-me," Piper gasped out, and she coughed again, painfully, her body jerking and more blood seeping from her wound and onto Prue.
"No!" Prue exclaimed, shaking her head and holding her sister and placing her hands over the gaping hole in Piper's stomach, pressing down to try and stop the bleeding but feeling the raw flesh and blood pulse against her hands. "No," she said again, in anguish. "You can't...you can't leave me," she told Piper as her sister's eyes closed and she fell silent and her breathing came slowly and more still.
Lucy had reached Heather's fallen form by now. With tears of grief spilling from her blue eyes, she collapsed to her knees and dragged Heather's torso up and into her lap, supporting her limp head with a hand. The sudden movement had caused Heather to cough again, but more feebly than before as her strength ebbed. "Heather," Lucy called at her sister softly, brushing a lock of brown hair from Heather's face. "Heather, please. I'm here now."
"L-Lucy." An almost unheard whisper escaped from between Heather's blue-tinged lips. She could barely speak as she tried to open her eyes to see her youngest sister alive and well. She was numb in pain and shock, but she was relieved that Lucy had survived what she could not. Weakly, she moved a hand from her stomach, flailing for Lucy's. Lucy took it as Heather gasped, "G-get the others…Orb…t-take th-them with you…s-safety…" Her breath caught as blood rose in her throat.
"I can't leave you!" Lucy protested, shaking her head roughly, but Heather put a shaking finger to Lucy's lips gently.
"You...have t-to...get t-them safe."
Paige was running towards Sam and Kate at last, freed from her stunned trance as Lynxe vanished. "Ropes!" She demanded upon reaching them, and swung her hand towards the wall. The ropes binding the two girls disappeared in the white lights and reappeared in a heap by the base of the rock. Quickly, she untied the gag and blindfold from Kate's head as Sam hurriedly tried to rub the life back into her swollen and blood-crusted wrists.
Kate looked up at her rescuer with thanks in her eyes which then flicked to where Lucy sat on the ground with Heather in her arms. She saw for the first time what the screaming and coughing was all about, and her heart nearly stopped as her face paled. "No!" She sobbed, grabbing Sam and jerking off her chair and stumbling towards them. Sam tried to keep up as she followed her, shaky and tripping over her own feet. Paige orbed immediately to Phoebe's side and set about trying to bring her around, but her hands were shaking as well as she listened to the hopelessness in the cavern.
Prue saw and watched the two Magicked Ones fall to their knees beside their sisters, weeping and sobbing, reuniting with Lucy in the pain wrapped around them. There seemed to be nothing left for them to do but watch their sister die. They survived this long for Lucy only to see Heather meet the fate meant for the youngest Miller. As she thought this her mind made itself up and, suddenly but gently, Prue gritted her teeth and hoisted Piper's limp form in her strong arms and struggled to stand, trying not to look at the pool of blood at her feet and trying to ignore the blood that now seeped down her arms. Piper's head rested on Prue's chest and her arms dangled uselessly at her side. Slowly, shakily, Prue walked towards the Millers as best she could.
"We have to get out of here," she whispered to them, trying to keep her voice from shaking with grief. "Lucy, you have to orb them home right now. Orb to our manor. Quickly! We have to get them to safety."
"But-" Lucy began, her eyes red and puffy, tears streaming down her face as she stared at Heather, who's breathing had become shallower.
"No buts," Paige said as she supported a half-conscious Phoebe over to Prue and grasping her eldest sister's shoulder. "We're in more danger here. Come on. We'll call Leo. He'll be able to heal them. Come on. Orb them, Lucy. You have to."
"Orb us home, Paige. Quickly," Prue pleaded with an anxious glance at her younger sister, then peered over her shoulder nervously, clasping Piper to her as she searched for demonic threats, but each and every demon had shimmered out of the room when Lynxe had, thinking it was a signal to retreat. Paige obliged and lights gathered around them and the four demolecularized together and lifted through the stone ceiling to return back in San Fransisco.
Kate put a soft, trembling hand to Lucy's shaking shoulder while Sam held Heather's blood-soaked hand tightly to her. "Come on," Kate said quietly but firmly to her sister. "You have to do it, Lucy. For Heather." She braced herself for orbing as she watched Lucy.
The young witch stared at Kate for several long seconds before her eye's finally closed and she tried to push everything from her mind except orbing and getting to safety, but her grief for Heather was too great. Her sister's harsh breaths were quickly slowing and the time between them was increasing. Lucy broke down in tears and sobbed into Heather's soaking hair, shaking her head and trying to shrug off Kate' s hand from her shoulder, not in contempt, but in absolute helplessness. "I can't. I-I can't. Heather, please..."
Before anyone could speak or do anything, however, a flourish of orbs lit the cavern again and Paige had returned. Her eyes were dry as she immediately crossed to the four Magicked Ones and knelt, placing her hands lightly on Kate and Lucy's shoulders. "Let's go, girls," she breathed, though not really to the women with her. More to herself, for she was thinking about Piper and the horrid and deadly state that she too was in. But she thought defiantly of the safety of the manor, gathered her strength and orbed them all from the evil and hatred of the Underworld, leaving behind a deep pool of blood that soaked the warm sand.