Chapter 24- Forbidding Heaven
Teaserline: Shaky hours are eternally present in blessed times...
June 20th, 2007
All sessions at Magic School were on halt for the day, followed up with a delay in exams for the week, to the relief of all the students and even of the professors who hadn't completed making up their final exams. With the Great Hall being occupied for the past few days, students were restricted from during their quiet study there and didn't have access to books they might've needed. Phoebe Halliwell was getting married and while all the students wanted to attend the wedding of a Charmed One, the bride-to-be wanted a simple and safe wedding with an audience of family and friends only. The barriers the Charmed Ones provided the school would only be strengthened with their very presences inside the grand building.
Phoebe's day had finally arrived and Paige was steering her into the Great Hall with one arm as she clasped her other hand over her half-sister's eyes. "And we're here. Prepare to be amazed."
"I hope so," Phoebe muttered anxiously through gritted teeth. Paige's hand was removed from her eyesight and Phoebe stared in awe at the Great Hall. Replacing all the books in one particular bookcase were silver trinkets and in between each were pale yellow and white candles, unlit. The middle Charmed One was glad that Piper talked Paige out of the silver and gold streamers around the windows as she was more than content with the polished frames as it gave her wedding an antique look. In front of the grand windows were two rows of silver candlesticks, four feet each, each topped with more pale yellow waxed candles.
Running on both sides of the aisle were two rows of four chairs each. Down the aisle was a long white carpet that started at the main entrance of the Hall and ran up to the altar where a white marble podium in the shape of an angel stood.
"It's beautiful," Phoebe whispered, too impressed to hug her baby half-sister. She walked further in and pressed her hands to her mouth where she felt the engagement ring that truly connected her with Coop as he once wore it to help others find love. She kissed it quickly so Paige couldn't see, but this wasn't anything rare for Phoebe as she often kissed the ring when she couldn't be with Coop, later finding out from her beau that he felt it each time.
"Is that all you got?" The eldest sister asked as she entered behind Phoebe and Paige. "Two hours it took to put all those silver ornaments up." Phoebe flipped around to see Piper who was grinning. "Don't get me started on how hard it was to find that very sentimental collection in the attic."
"Very lucky not to get those things blown up in eight years of demon attacks, lady," Paige quipped.
"It was such a little girl obsession I had. What made you even consider even scavenging for those things?" Phoebe asked.
"Well, not that you really need to be told, but you started that collection when Grams started telling you stories about Mom and after she first started giving you some of Mom's old earrings, you grew obsessed with every single thing of silver in the house mistaking it for something of Mom's," Piper explained, not dropping her smile for a second. "Once you started losing track of what was what, you gave up on the collection until Grams died."
Phoebe grinned, but shyly stared down at the floor as she fiddled her fingers together.
"Prue thought you were just trying to pawn it all off, but I recognized it as you subconsciously collecting valuables. I like to think that you just wanted to wear all our jewelry, but you always did it the most when you lost loved ones," Piper explained, her smile faded at the issue. "You must've robbed Prue's room after we lost her."
"Hey, I left a couple of things around," Phoebe replied with a mischievous grin. "At least I think I did."
"Yeah, Prue's necklace that we got her for her nineteenth birthday and one of two earrings that I found under her night stand," Piper explained and wrapped one arm around Phoebe's shoulders. "I just thought these little silver trinkets would add a bit to your day as it could connect you with the people you love but can't be here."
"I bet you weren't counting on this conversation," Paige joked, silently knowing that Piper's big explainer was to help Phoebe emotionally recover from seeing all these past treasures.
Piper chuckled, "Definitely not."
"Paige! There you are," a new voice said. The Charmed Ones instantly recognized the voice, but turned around to greet Billie with a confused look. "Okay, I've been doing some research in the class with all those textbooks on ancient demons-"
"The Arcane and Ancient Room?" Paige guessed, completely unfazed on how the sisterly mood was interrupted.
"Yeah, I think that's the one. Well, I've been trying to I.D the demon that may have been in Rose and judging on star charts and extreme shift in weather, I narrowed it down to a couple of demons. One demon named Rohr appears before heavy rain and under a lightning-clad sky and I figured that since the lightning and thunder only started this week and Paige has been sensing another power for several weeks, I ruled him out," Billie explained with too much excitement for identifying a Great Evil.
"Okay, Billie, get to it," an impatient Piper stepped in. "Who's the demon and can it wait until after Phoebe says her 'I Do's'?"
"It's actually more of an ancient entity than a demon. This tremendous power recognized as Valen hasn't been seen in centuries and was buried in the Underworld after her demonic army turned on her. They pretty much summoned all their power to banish Valen, killing most and drying the survivors of their powers," Billie explained. "Valen was inhabiting some demon that disowned its previous name and went by Valen, often confusing some of whether she was a demon herself or just some power. Valen's flaw is that she can create many servants and she kept creating more and more and more and more..." Billie stopped herself at Piper's second frustrated look. "So now that Valen is back, there's no doubt we have a damn strong demonically powered opponent on our hands to deal with. As more days pass, the stronger she'll get."
"It doesn't sound as if she learned from her mistakes though," Paige said, recalling seeing Rose in the Underworld summoning more demons. "Is there any note on how to vanquish her? Or at least how the other demons banished her the first time?"
"All it said was that the demons created this Living Grave to contain her. That lead to even more research but the gist is that this grave was meant to banish Valen since they weren't sure how to vanquish her and they couldn't risk it. They either made a move that was certain or not, because if they failed, Valen would kill them all in one swipe," Billie said. "So we can either replicate this Living Grave and banish her or try to find out one of the means that could've vanquished her."
"Which would be what?" Phoebe asked.
Billie shrugged, "There's no text on that. I was just about to go bouncing between some of the more popular Underworld lairs and find out if anyone knows and if they're willing to part with their tongues if they don't tell me. The thing is, if the lairs don't check out, I might have to go a little deeper in and you might not be able to sense me in the case I get ambushed down there."
"Billie, this can wait until tomorrow," Paige said.
"But-"
"No, Billie. Tomorrow or you'll have a bigger threat to deal with," Piper said, turning to Phoebe. "I doubt an ancient demon can match up against a Charmed One who has been waiting for the day to marry her Mr. Right since Cinderella hit movie theaters."
Phoebe grinned and said, "Play it safe today, Billie. Tomorrow you can go hunting. Do more research if you have to and just cross-reference what time period Valen dominated, was born in, what got her servants so pissed off, and so on. When you're done with that homework, Paige can grade it and get back to you tomorrow."
"Fine," Billie replied, defeated. She slid her hands into the pockets of her black capri-pants and walked back out the door she came from.
"We outnumbered her a little too harshly," Paige said. "Power of Three-against-One."
"She's had this info for a while now, Paige. I agree, it sucks she finally found it today, but let's make an attempt at a wedding that doesn't have any invisible bridesmaids, demonic grooms, groom-napping, or the-world-might-end-tomorrow-so-let's-get-married-today agreements," Piper said, taking a deep breath after.
"Glad to get that out your system?" Paige asked, patting the eldest sister on her shoulder.
Piper brushed the hair away from her face and said, "Actually, yes. Now go get to Billie before she goes pissing off every demon of the Underworld for answers, God knows that girl isn't actually going to sit still."
Paige sighed and chased off after Billie and as soon as she turned a corner, she caught sight of the young sorceress entering a classroom. The Witchlighter recognized that this was the same classroom Paige referenced to before and doubted that Billie was actually going to study up on Phoebe's questions, even if she didn't have the answers.
She entered and saw Billie was inspecting her potions pouch and said, "Look, I don't think that you're actually about to be a good girl and do homework, but I do have a suggestion."
"And what would that be?" Billie asked, not looking at Paige directly.
"Contact Christy," Paige said, apparently earning Billie's privileged look. "She was trained by the Triad and if there's one good thing they did for her, it's they taught her about Evil. She might be a know-it-all whereas these books might not be as certified to answers these questions as Christy might be."
"You really trust me to go and find Christy?"
"I know she won't hurt you and she's likely to torch some demons if you get in trouble," Paige said. "I would try a sister-to-sister spell. If that doesn't work-"
"It doesn't," Billie interrupted. "I tried it the second we got home from saving her. I think the only way I can get her to appear to me is if I'm in trouble." Billie fished into the pouch and withdrew a potion. "The deeper lairs of the Underworld offer both that and answers to Valen." She quickly dropped the potion to the floor as she saw realization wash over Paige's face. The standard cloud of smoke consumed Billie as if understanding her anticipation to flee the scene.
Paige stared at the spot Billie previously stood and sighed, even more defeated than Billie was moments back.
(X)
Billie's cloud of smoke transported her into the Underworld, but not as deep as she had been hoping for. The smokey cloud collided with the entrance of the next lair and an orange light appeared and bounced Billie out of the cloud, rolling across the ground. The orange light retreated back into the archway.
The sorceress sat up, wiping her arms clean of the dirt to the best of her ability, and picked herself up. She held her fingers wide open as she approached the clear opening of the lair and couldn't sense any blockage with her practiced sorceress abilities.
As she was about to pass, the air shimmered before her and a man in a crimson leather vest with black horns protruding from his forehead appeared with his hands folded before him, "State your business and rank."
"Rank?" Billie asked.
The demon inspected her and said, "You don't wear the image of a demon. Not even lower-level filth." He sniffed her scent and his contorted face was disgusted. "You're a witch!"
"And you should get those things shaved," Billie said, pointing at the horns with one hand as she reached for a potion with her other. She felt around for a stiff cork so she could identify it as an explosive without having to look.
"She's with me," Christy's voice announced out loud.
Billie flipped around and saw Christy grin at her as she walked closer. "Christy! I was looking for you."
"When aren't you?" Christy reasonably asked as she ushered Billie past the demon and they descended the stone steps into the next lair together. "You really shouldn't be hanging around here. This neck of the Underworld makes alleys at midnight laughable."
The Jenkins sisters passed dozens of torches, all connected with cobwebs, and occasionally women hanging from chains, dead.
"What happened to them?" Billie gravely asked.
"Other witches who were stup-, who weren't smart enough to realize that one little explosive potion doesn't stand a breath of a chance against those pit-bull demons," Christy explained. "What business do you have mistaking this for a playground?"
"I need to find information on this demonic power Valen. The power's possessed this girl Rose and they're already summoning an army to battle, most likely, Paige and I," Billie informed, looking down the lair to prevent anymore surprises. "Paige suggested that you might know something that the books at Magic School don't."
"I owe the Whitelighter one, so I'll cash her favor in to express my gratitude. I do know things about Valen that wouldn't reach good ears, but I'll bend the rule for family," Christy said as they approached a forked path. She closed her eyes and moments later, reopened them and said, "The left path is the right one."
"What's on the right one?"
"Demons we're not prepared to take on, but rest assured, the left side isn't exactly clear," Christy replied, walking into the left path as she conjured a fireball into her hand. This both illuminated the cave as well as Christy's features.
"So what do you know about Valen?" Billie asked.
"I know plenty. The demonic gossip channel has been spreading with impressive speed and we all know that the power known as Valen has been freed. By that damn Avo, nonetheless. Consider it safe to assume that the target is painted on Paige's back, for certain," Christy stopped and pushed Billie back with her free arm. She stared into the air before her and cooly released the ball of fire straightaway and it collided with the air. Seconds later, a camouflaged demon exploded. "As I was saying..."
"How'd you know he was there?" Billie asked.
"I know these necks of the woods," Christy replied. "Tons of traps laid here. Deceiving demons only want those who are worthy enough to breathe through these tunnels and labyrinths. Making our way to Valen is going to be extremely difficult, but you'll get there quicker with me acting as your talking map now."
"Wait! Who said anything about going to Valen?" Billie questioned, stopping.
"We need to investigate this army. I've yet to see any of them yet and in the case they're the same ones that once served Valen before, I have to see if they're dotage or actually a threat," the firestarter answered.
"Why would she revive the ones who killed her?" Billie asked.
"Valen may look as if she has the power to create new beings with a snap of her fingers, but they actually do come from somewhere. She conjures vengeful spirits to inhabit bodies that she can create with snapping," Christy explained, contradicting the text that Billie read earlier. "Have you ever heard of the Grave Ritual?"
"Is that anything like the Living Grave?" Billie asked.
"No, the Living Grave was a stupid mistake. If it wasn't for demons scared of higher powers threatening their ranks, someone would've freed her long ago," Christy explained. "All it takes is one person with power to obliterate, or in this case, melt down the large casket which buried her and a willing body to possess. The Grave Ritual was an alternative to killing her where a circle of assorted ingredients are surrounding Valen's essence and all the spirits fall out of their bodies and kill her."
"They kill her? Just like that?" Billie asked. "Why wasn't this approach taken?"
"Servants weren't up for making sacrifices. The spirits would've lost their own essence by caging Valen and even as just an essence, Valen could've quickly destroyed them all if she acted quick enough. These demons just didn't have the fireballs in them to move quicker and act smarter," Christy explained as they entered a new lair. "Once they destroyed her previous body, they activated the Living Grave which summoned her into it and threw away the key."
"Do you think we have it in us to take her down?" Billie asked. "I remember Cameron's mother saying something about me being able to command spirits. What if I commanded Valen's own spirits against her?"
"The only issue with that is that unless we can expel all these spirits out of the bodies without us vanquishing the bodies, we can't gain their trust. Also, if she's managed to gain new spirits, they won't want to betray their new Queen," Christy said. "They'll do it all; kill other demons, rub her feet, or blow off their own heads if it amuses her."
"So what if we successfully destroyed her body?" Billie asked.
"It depends on the body. Who'd she take over?"
"Rose, this pyrokinetic chick with the genetics of a witch and demon. I think she's more mortal than demon though," Billie said. "Before the demonic possession, at least."
"We can definitely destroy her body. With the right spell and plan, the flesh will come crumbling off and we can quickly act against the essence. I think if we can separate enough of it at a time, we can focus at the heart of her spirit and send her packing for good," the firestarter suggested and halted. "But for now, we got company."
A circle of demons shimmered and flamed in around them, all armed with fireballs.
"You can't get them to hold off?" Billie quickly asked, looking around to see who she should fight first in the case Christy couldn't.
"They work for better paying bosses," Christy replied before exploding two demons with a swift gesture of her hand and the powers of her mind.
(X)
Paige returned to the Great Hall ten minutes after speaking with Billie, carrying a bouquet of white lilies. She saw Piper trying to even out a couple of chairs in the front row and said aloud, "We forgot these in Leo's office."
Piper flipped around and saw what Paige was talking about and then asked, "Why'd you go see Leo?"
"See if he knows anything about Valen, of course," Paige replied, walking down the aisle, not realizing she was carrying the bouquet as if she was the bride of the day. "He wasn't even too familiar with what Billie found out from the textbook. It was a first for him to not really know something, so this power must be bad." Paige sat down on one of the chairs and said, "Look, Piper, I gotta be honest with you right now."
"Uh oh," Piper said, moving the chair she had been working hard to even out to turn to Paige. She sat down and quickly folded her hands on her lap, "What's up?"
"Billie went off into the Underworld," Paige quickly let out, almost regretting it as Piper disappointedly looked at her. "Look – hear me out. We came down on her pretty hard and in the interest of no hard feelings, I basically advised her to go and do something that she was about to go behind our backs and do anyway."
"Oh, well when you put it like that, I guess it's okay!" Piper sarcastically exploded, detaching her hands from one another and waving them around. Understanding the risk of flailing her hands about in an emotional state, Piper quickly returned them back down on her lap. "Paige, this isn't the Dogan or some Scavenger demon or whatever. This is an ageless demonic power that might give us Charmed Ones a run for our money. Billie may be good and all, but defeating some powerful demon like that is going to require potions packing more than your average punch."
Piper rose from her seat and began to walk down the aisle, quickly followed by Paige who asked, "And where are you going?"
"To try and see if Leo thinks we have enough power to at least hold off Valen long enough to snatch Billie and get out of there," Piper quickly replied. "Her life is on the line, what were you thinking, Paige?" The eldest noticed that the footsteps behind her stopped and she turned around in realization. "This is about the Elders, isn't it?"
"Yeah, those Robes who basically forced people to do their work for them. The same people who forced me to try and force someone else to do something against her will and look where that got her," Paige voiced. "I just am under a new belief system where people should be allowed to either make their own choices, their own mistakes, and learn from them. I'm not about locking someone into their destiny which seems like a load of crap in itself. How can it be destiny when we're telling someone which way to go on a forked road?"
"Be that as it may, Paige, we can't be surprised that the Elders screwed up. If you want, I can go home and get a book where I've been keeping tally on how wrong they've been, but this lesson you're trying to live under is only going to get people killed. You're no Elder and should you die-" Piper stopped as Paige had a grim expression plastered on her porcelain face and resumed, "Which you won't because you are Paige Matthews and you're going to live forever, I don't think being an Elder would suit you. You have a clear enough conscience to realize right from wrong and you were only under an impression that what the Elders believed about Rebecca was gold. You believed in destiny which is something you shouldn't stop believing." She scoffed, "Come on, you met two angels of it already."
Paige chuckled and smacked herself on the forehead, "Okay, so I screwed up. I think Billie's safe though."
"Based on what?"
"She was trying to meet up with Christy and knowing our determined Billie, it's likely that she found some way to find her in the Underworld," Paige assumed.
"We still have to go and get her," Piper commented, trying to figure out something in her mind. "We're going to leave Phoebe out of this though."
"You said we'd need the Power of Three."
"If we're going to kill her, which we're not. This is simply a rescue mission and Phoebe doesn't need to even know about this. Let's not give her a reason to pick a wrestling match with Billie and we can all come back, get dressed up and have a wedding," Piper concluded, clapping her hands together and storming out of the Great Hall with Paige on her tail.
(X)
Paige stood behind a desk in an empty classroom with her phone to her ear as she flipped through a book, "Henry, you can't come. We're already concerned enough about this demon for ourselves and I can't have you running in there." She listened briefly and cut him off, "Look, I love you too, which is why I'm not orbing home to let you come on this suicide mission. Billie needs our help and it's my fault, but we're sending Phoebe to help you with Peter and the girls as a ploy to not notice we're missing."
The Witchlighter walked around the desk and gave up looking for a way to contact Phoenix assassins and said, "I'm sorry, I really gotta go now. Just keep Phoebe busy and don't let her know what we're up to. Just keep telling her that we must be working on some surprise or whatever."
"Paige, I think your sister will notice no surprise at her wedding," Henry commented.
"That'll be our problem. Love you. Bye," Paige flipped the phone closed before Henry could argue any further about the way to carry her destiny. This was something she was going to be in control of.
As opposed to someone calling out for her, Paige looked up and shouted, "Cameron?! Look, if you can hear me, I really need your help." No response. She rolled her eyes and muttered, "Watch him come if he hears Billie's-" she was interrupted by the sound of swarming bees as a flow of particles rose up from the floor and coalesced into the mercenary Cameron. "-name."
"What's going on?" Cameron asked.
"Billie's in some real trouble. Cliffnotes version: Big, bad, demonic entity named Valen is free and is inside of Rose and Billie is meeting up with her sister in some of the scarier levels of the Underworld to get the dish on defeating Valen," Paige recapped. "Piper and I could really use the help."
"What about Phoebe?"
"Her wedding is today and if she can go through hers without battling a demon, she'd be the first. You know you care about Billie, I could tell with the way she spoke of you and the way you come running at her name. You know you want to help her," Paige pressed on, desperate. "If we really have to, I'll pay you and as a mercenary, you'll be forced to come anyway."
"No pay necessary. I'm a good tour guide for the deeper layers of the Underworld. I've had more than enough experience searching for... Well, I know my way around. I gotta admit though, I don't know much about this Valen character, but if she's inhabiting a mortal body, I'll be able to improvise," Cameron said.
Piper walked in with her brown shirt singed in a couple of places, but victorious with two pouches of vial-shaped bulges.
"What happened to you?" Paige asked.
"I found a couple of students mixing some potions and I traded them some tips for these bad boys right here, but they weren't strong enough. So I spiked them with some stronger ingredients and most of them came out perfect while others..." She stopped, pointing at her shirt with her free hand. "You can figure that out." She turned to Cameron, "So you're the mercenary. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise. Are we ready to go?" Cameron asked, anxiously scratching the back of his head as he desired to get to Billie as soon as possible.
Piper moved over to Paige and handed her one pouch. "They are all explosives. Some are fiery and one student told me that a couple are electrifying. We'll surprise ourselves when the time comes." She locked arms with Paige.
"Follow my lead," Cameron informed before exploding into a stream of particles which circled around for a while and phased through the floor. Quickly following him, Paige and Piper orbed after him.
(X)
After successfully destroying the horned guard with a combo of an energy ball and Piper's power, Cameron lead the two witches through the Underworld and into the same path Billie and Christy had taken, where they too, fought an ambushing gang of demons.
"Tell me again, how do you know that this is the same way Billie went?" Paige said.
"I can kinda sense her. Think of it like a scent, I should say, but more of a mental one," Cameron explained.
"Yeah, we're aware of what sensing is, buddy," Piper replied, cautiously looking around for anymore demons to blow up.
They passed a cavern archway with sigils written in blood and the mercenary explained, "This is a district of the Underworld that few get out alive unless you have connections. Since Billie is with Christy, she should've gone through without trouble. We, on the other hand, aren't going to be as fortunate."
"So who's blood is that staining the walls?" Piper asked, pointing.
"That's human blood. Inside there is a minotaur who feeds off a flesh and Christy must be really connected if he didn't snack on her or Billie," Cameron explained, beginning to walk in. "As long as we keep our distance from him, we should be fine."
"Is there any way to actually vanquish it?" Paige asked.
"Minotaurs generally don't put up fights as big as this, but this one has been demonically strengthened and has lived in these parts for at least a century."
The three were all in and an iron gate fell down behind them, though Paige and Piper were quite sure they hadn't even seen any gap within the archway for a gate to exist. "This is not good," Piper muttered.
"How do you think the minotaur ever gets to survive? Once everyone sees him, they would run so he had someone place a gate down," Cameron explained some more. "We can't kill him, but there is a weapon in there that can stun him for about a few hours which is more than enough time to crawl to freedom if you're that badly hurt."
"How the hell do you know all of this? Are you sure you're not a demon?" Piper asked.
Cameron sighed, looking around for the minotaur in the red dusty layered cavern. "I came here looking for my father a few years ago after he was killed. Long story short, we found his body deeper in. My mother was able to lead the way since she was once a renegade for the Underworld in hopes of finding some demon, so I was properly educated on this hell-hole. Is that enough for you?"
No one had time to answer as a heavy being dropped to the ground, spraying red dust all around his hoofed feet. His brick-hard skin was leathery brown and black cloth draped around his waist and the minotaur's crimson red eyes were locked on the three people he hoped to soon feast on. He lowered his head, showing off the heavy curved black horns existing out from his temples.
Piper stepped in front of both Cameron and Paige and began to unleash her power with rapid hand gestures. The explosions were scarring his chest and she next aimed for his horns which only bounced back onto her and threw her off of her feet.
The minotaur began to charge towards them and Cameron fired off as many buzzing energy balls as he could with the hybrid beast closing the space in between them.
Paige held out her hand before her and shouted, "Minotaur!" She forced the beast to be swallowed in heavenly orbs and clouted the air with her hand and sent the minotaur crashing into the wall. She then tapped into her standard telekinetic power and pinned him to the wall with both her hands for assurance. "I'll try to hold him still, just take him down."
"Perfect, but this isn't the way to get him. That is!" Cameron pointed at an ax leaning against a wall down a stretched path and said, "You keep him bound as I go run and get that!" The blond shrank into mass particles and began to swim through the cavern in a wave-like fashion, leaving Piper on the ground and Paige frozen as she applied telekinetic pressure.
"Hurry!" Paige shouted, not receiving an answer. The Witchlighter turned to her sister, concerned, but she had to keep her opponent glued down. She returned her amber gaze to him, stretching her hands out farther as she felt him resisting and she figured the gesture would keep him restrained. The minotaur roared, louder each moment, and his eyes began to burn with fury. Paige noticed she was losing control as his shade-black tipped fists pounded the ground, proving to be of immense strength to make Paige lose even more balance.
Piper struggled to lift herself up, which only grew more difficult as the minotaur's strength seemed to mimic an earthquake. She congratulated herself on leaving Phoebe back as the middle sister would've only allowed her fear of earthquakes to empower her in this deadly battle. She finally gained a stance, failing to freeze the minotaur as she thought she would and ran over to Paige. "What are we waiting on?"
Paige turned to see Cameron charging towards the minotaur with the ax, wondering why he wouldn't just teleport and this thought alone was too much pressure on an already unsteady mental hold on the minotaur. The telekinesis dropped and as Paige attempted to hold him back, he had already gained enough velocity charging at them to fight through her power. Piper quickly grabbed her half-sister's arm, silently urging her to carry them away before that minotaur reached them with his earth-pounding stomps and overwhelming physical strength. Paige began to walk backwards, taking Piper with her and only hoped that she would trust her not to ask questions. The eldest turned around to see why Paige would walk instead of orb and flipped back around to stare down the impending threat of the minotaur collision.
The minotaur was a couple of feet away and Paige quickly called on her power, orbing both her and Piper out in joint-columns of heavenly lights and the minotaur charged past as only a sprinkle of orbs remained and crashed against the opposite wall. The sisters reappeared a good distance away from the powerful creature and Paige smirked at her success as the minotaur had rammed his head inside the wall, stuck.
"I doubt that's going to last too long," Piper commented, knowing all too easily that the minotaur could just pull himself out. Her and Paige turned to Cameron, who had been running down this very long lair but didn't seem out of breath. "Why can't you teleport?"
Cameron continued to sprint, not wasting necessary breath to inform them of what he already knew. The ax itself wasn't heavy, but it wouldn't allow itself to be carried through teleporting. It was just heavily enchanted against that, so the mercenary just accelerated his own speed as he saw the minotaur struggling in his weak spot. Just as he reached a few feet, he saw the minotaur pull himself free, causing a portion of the wall to crumble to the ground. "Be a good little minotaur and don't move."
The mercenary already knew attempting a direct hit when the minotaur could see him wasn't going to work, so he was going to have to perform a simple trick to outsmart him long enough to get a good hit in. He took a couple of steps back and pitched the ax with such a propelling speed that the checker-colored blade with the dark gray handle was lost in its own blur as it flew towards the minotaur. Cameron quickly exploded into particles and glided with such great speed to catch up with the ax, willing himself to reach the minotaur before he did. He flew past the ax, noting that it too was very close to the minotaur, so he quickly reassembled his particles in a crouched stance, and stepped on the minotaur's foot, tickling him. The minotaur looked down, raising his heavy hand to smack Cameron away with tremendous force as the mercenary caught the ax and slashed it into the creature's chest where he noticed several other gashes of other's success; he wondered which of these gashes was the one his mother dealt on the beast.
The minotaur's arm stood still in the air, before he fell onto his back, blowing dust into the air where it descended back down to lightly blanket him. Cameron didn't care to boast of his deed, but only returned full height and said, "We gotta keep moving, we might be running out of time to save Billie."
"Don't you think you could've saved us some time by teleporting over with the ax?" Paige asked as she and Piper moved closer to the Phoenix.
"The ax is enchanted for no one to use any shortcuts. The minotaur wants a nice, long battle as he's one of those play-with-your-food types, so the ax can't be summoned or anything of that sort. You have to generally sweat with blood and ache with bruises before you can even get close to that thing; luckily, we're all kick-ass and bruise-less."
"Speak for yourself," Piper said, rubbing her abdomen. "Not to boast of my power, but getting a taste of what the enemy gets really hurts."
"Not really fair to say since the demons generally blow up, but I get what you mean," Paige said, turning to Cameron. "Now, how about you do that gliding-thing you do and we'll follow you in orbs. I'm sure you're capable of following Billie's scent in that mode."
"It's possible, but we might have to pop out every few minutes or so. If we just fly past the enemy, they'll all come chasing after us at once and we may kick ass, but they'll be overwhelming in numbers," Cameron explained. "Until then, follow me."
(X)
The heat was overwhelming against Billie's skin, but it had been worst when she battled the Fire Lords to retrieve her sister's tracking stone to locate her. She turned to this same sister and Christy didn't look the least bit bothered by the waves of heat near this lair which greatly contrasted the chilling and haunting winds in the immediate Underworld level; she wondered how much more Christy felt in her core than the regular demons.
Christy was insulted. Not because Billie was apparently inconsiderate to her telepathic power that she would put it past Christy to hear what her sister was thinking when she was this quiet, but because Billie was having trouble dealing with the fact that Christy hadn't asked to be kidnapped and couldn't help it if she wasn't like the others. Cold inside and resistant to the Underworld's heat, to an extent. These thoughts alone proved that she was different, but she wasn't going to admit this. She just wasn't.
"Billie, keep quiet now. If Valen is there, there's a chance that even our whispers are going to sound like a tree dropping in a forest for her, ending that whole ridiculous mystery; yes, of course the tree makes a sound." The firestarter rolled her eyes, continuing on. "If you can even attempt clearing your mind blank of thoughts and only absorbing what you hear, that would be great," Christy said, looking down the long pathway they would have to walk before they reached the lair where she knew Valen's original tomb to be. Some proof was the fact they were walking on a silver floor, one they had been walking on for about a mile.
"It's kinda hard not to think, Christy," Billie replied.
Christy shrugged, "I guess it's easier for a telepath."
"I don't see how as you can hear other's thoughts," Billie said, not understanding.
So she didn't forget Christy thought to herself. "The mind of a telepath is in the control of the telepath. If I choose to shut out all thoughts from everywhere, with the proper practice that I've gained, I can do so. It's about as easy as not listening to a crowded room of people chatting, but it can be done. Lesson taught, so let's move on."
The two sisters walked in silence, where Christy was telepathically listening to Billie attempting to clear her mind blank as she could, but it was proving difficult.
How can I not think? Just don't think of anything. But I can't help it. Even when I think I'm not thinking, I start thinking about the things I generally don't need to think about like walking. Left, right, left, right. Blinking too. And breathing. Billie looked down at her chest, watching it rise and fall back quickly in anticipation of... Valen. That ancient power has thrown herself into that chick who wants to torch me... No, not thinking. Just don't.
Christy grinned at her sister's attempt, a sincere grin. A grin that was very human. She remembered grinning a lot as a child. Mostly her times with Billie when she was at an age to walk so they could play together and share the attention. Any time before that was her age where jealously overwhelmed her until Billie napped and slept; then she would get attention. Memories of her childhood were more proof that Billie was wrong about her. Her need for approval from her younger sister was something she also had to prove there was a human feel about her. Actions spoke louder than words, said or unsaid.
They reached the cave's entrance and they absorbed its grandeur for an Underworld setting. Billie thought it seemed to belong on earth's surface to be admired by many, but Christy thought it was perfect where it was as you either had enough respect to approach this great sight or you bled and risked your life to reach here. They looked in on this demonic palace, having to near squint to look at the end to see Rose sitting on a black throne with badger-colored hair underneath the great domed ceiling of the lair.
Demons were marching around, carrying out chores such as keeping the lair glowing with fireballs in their palms, brandishing swords, daggers, and axes, and the insulting, yet rewarding task of fighting to the death for Rose's entertainment. The sisters looked at each other and Billie knew she was thinking too much, but hoped that everything going on would keep herself from being heard. After all, could Valen really hear thoughts or was Christy just taking extra precaution?
"I was taking extra precaution, now be quiet," Christy whispered, almost inaudibly.
Billie grabbed Christy's arm and ushered her down the hall and whispered, "Okay, we can clearly see that she has an army. Let's just get the hell out of here now. We have no way of taking her on, not without help."
"Damn right you don't," a booming voice echoed through the hall. Billie and Christy looked around and Christy grabbed her younger sister's arm and flamed out, except the result wasn't materializing on earth's surface. They were right in the middle of all the demons inside Valen's lair. It was clear that she had caught them before they could escape and relocated them there. Rose stood from her throne, piercing Billie with her sapphire stare, "Hmm. Sorcerous talents have recently evolved through your blood. Interesting, but you're too young in power to be a threat to me."
"Underestimating me can only work out on my end," Billie shouted back, but the courage she attempted to apply was absent and it was obvious just how scared she was.
Rose floated down from the six foot gray stage and onto the silver plated ground. She smirked as she saw Christy throw herself in front of Billie and said, "You were raised by the Triad, yet you defend a feeble sorceress just because she's family? I'm assuming that the three were too busy twiddling their ancient claws to actually rip apart the fantasies of family."
"They did their job, but it was more of a taste of my flaming hot medicine that helped me reevaluate myself," Christy replied, the courage evident in her voice; she held no fear of dying. "I no longer have to be their little hitman."
"And what a poor little assassin you must've been. Charmed Ones live and breathe, your pathetic sister is alive, and the Triad are squirming around in the Wasteland. You truly screwed things up, but I suppose destiny works itself out in that funny way it does. You see, destiny doesn't always work in favor of the good guys. Every now and then, great evils are reborn and they're charged with the task of overcoming the challenges other demons have gone through," Rose smiled and looked psychotic as she clawed through her streaked hair and raised her other hand. "Care to take a guess who's going for the challenge?" She lowered her hand and addressed all her demons, "Make me proud."
Billie and Christy stood back to back as demons and fireballs began to close in on them.
(X)
The two Charmed Ones and Cameron were following the sounds of explosions and shouts echoing through the hollow corridors of the Underworld by foot as it wasn't easy to follow in teleportation modes. When the ground under them felt different, they all stopped with the same shared confused expression on their faces. They looked down as if the ground under them was about to collapse right out from under their feet, but it stood there, though it resembled the plated floors leading to a grand castle.
"Did I doze off while orbing and accidentally bring us to Oz, Piper?" Paige asked, looking ahead at the continuing trail where the source of sounds continued.
"I feel closer to Billie, she's down this way," Cameron gave himself a head start before shattering into countless particles that eagerly sped towards the lair's opening.
The sisters looked at each other, realizing the moment was here. Somehow it felt bigger than it should've; this was just a rescue mission, not some big battle, yet it felt as if Phoebe should've been standing there with them. Paige even wanted to suggest orbing back to get her, but there would be no way that they could return in time. Heaven forbid something happened because of a flawed suggestion of Paige's...
Piper offered her hand and Paige wordlessly dropped her porcelain hand on top of her sister's palm, clasping it with such an iron-clad grip that she confirmed to Piper that they both shared the same concerns. Orbs from the heavens that Paige wanted no part of consumed her and Piper, carrying them into battle. They reappeared inside the lair, and Paige couldn't help but admire what a lair it was. She wondered if Phoebe lived in an additional luxury from the Penthouse when she was Queen.
"Down!" Piper shouted to Paige and she didn't wait for her younger sister to respond herself as she dragged her down to the ground. The fireball flew over their heads and exploded against the brute chest of another demon. They didn't pay any attention to the defeat as he blew up in the same fashion as the hundred demons before him and the light show lost its flare.
The two witches looked up and saw Cameron with two black sai daggers in the grips of his hands and he permitted one to fly from his hand and fought off another braided demon with the other sai. The mercenary was so confident with every reason as the flying sai embedded itself into the heart of a demon and blew him up. When the flames dispersed, Billie was visible on the ground with a gape of blood falling from her arm.
"Billie!" Paige shouted as she and Piper jumped to their feet, holding hands as they ran past dozens of energy and fireballs. With her free hand, Piper froze a lightning bolt buzzing their way and unfroze it after they made past it. The voltage-shrilling screams of a demoness echoed for a moment before becoming lost amongst the volume of war.
The sorceress was on her feet, staring directly over Piper and Paige as she gestured her good arm forward. The Halliwells spun around to see that a wave of four demons, all wielding weapons, were flying off their feet as their weapons hovered above them. Billie kept her focus, concentrating on the three swords and ax as she relinquished her grip, allowing the weapons to drop. Like Cameron, she didn't bother to watch the result as too many things were going on.
Piper and Paige reached Billie and before either could ask what was going on, Billie quickly said, "Cover me. I need time to focus on building a safe haven."
"Safe haven? Billie, this is an open battlefield with all obstructions being blown up," Piper replied, questioning her sanity.
"She can do it," Paige assured, remembering the projection shield she manifested during the Magic School battle. She turned, just in time to wave an energy ball back at its sender – or at least another demon – and blew him up.
Piper covered several angles, tearing apart the weak flesh each demon seemed to be wearing with her grand power. She almost struck down a woman in black when she realized it was Christy. The temptation to still blow her up didn't fade completely, but she trusted that she was an ally and in a battle against demons that couldn't be counted off with all their hands combined, all support counted.
A volley of fireballs, energy balls, and misty clouds from cyrokinetic power flew towards the three witches. Before Paige and Piper could react, they realized the red dust around their feet was swimming into the air around their ankles and a sigil rested as an imprint on the ground. All the elemental attacks proceeded forward but came to a stop, absorbed by a sudden shield of fluorescent red.
"It's a barrier, obviously," Billie said. "It won't hold any longer than my projection can offer, but it's less draining. What are you guys doing here?"
"You're welcome," Piper said, turning her back as she examined the sorcery barrier protecting them. "How come I feel like I'm trapped like any other demon?"
"I wouldn't advise it, but you're more than willing to step out and prove you're no prisoner," Billie searched the grounds for Christy and saw that her sister was crawled up against the wall with demons crowding her. "Christy!"
Two black blurs, resembling wingless bats, flew under the chins of several demons and didn't stop. Cameron's sais continued to slice the necks of each demon, forcing them to regret their actions as they couldn't summon that last breath they were all begging for. Once all the demons exploded and left Christy safe in her corner, the sais returned to Cameron like obedient frisbees.
A demon struggled to his feet, knocked to the ground somehow, and Cameron sped towards him and hopped onto his back and flipped forwards the next trio of demons interested in hurting Billie. He landed on his feet and rolled forward, regaining full height a moment later. He plunged both sais into the back of a demon, pulled them out and he hopped over the demon as he dropped to the ground in flames.
Cameron rolled in between both demons, who were wise enough not to throw their fireballs at each other as Paige had been fortunate once, but the Phoenix hopped into the space between them and with legs extended to each side, he kicked them square in the chest and forced them to disperse their attacks at the risk of collapsing on them. "Billie – into the wall against one another!"
The mercenary awaited Billie to respond to his command as another demon crept up on him, but Cameron simply swung his sai back into the abdomen of the demon. He released his hold on the demon and quickly threw an energy ball at another. He watched as Billie swept the two former demons into the wall, one lined up against the other. Piper froze them in place, much to Cameron's dismay as he wanted them to see their deaths coming. He let fly his last sai again, enjoying how theatrical he'd chosen to be when he decided what he wanted to make of them. The sai stabbed one in his throat and since they were so tight together, it killed the other as well. Both blew up in hellish flames, freeing the bloodier sai to the ground.
Before Cameron could summon his weapons back to him, he was thrown off his feet by such telekinetic force that a sickening noise accompanied his collision into the metal wall. He was still.
"Cameron!" Billie ran out of the barrier, breaking the shield as she carried the power, and she was assaulted in the back with a sphere of gold and sapphire. A beautiful attack that sent Billie flipping forward in an unnatural fashion and slammed her into the metallic wall as well, dropping her by the man she proved she loved with her concern in a perilous time.
Piper and Paige flipped around, only for the eldest to see the same beautiful shot flying in her direction. She moved to freeze it, but the power was at such a profound level it only phased it to a slower speed and still collided into the Halliwell. Piper flew back helplessly and her body joined Billie and Cameron's. Paige feared what would happen to her when she turned away from the pile to face her attacker.
It was just that.
The attacker stood an inch from her face and Rose glared her down with glowing sapphire eyes. "Paige, I haven't the slightest idea on where you went wrong with me. To think, had I chose the angel over the devil that day in New York, I wouldn't be clothed in such fine Evil right now."
Paige wished she could orb Valen right out of Rose, but she knew it was outside her ability's reach by hundred miles. "Rose. Fight her, you're strong enough to win."
Rose heavily smacked Paige across the mouth, sending her flying a couple of feet and onto her back. "Cut the Whitelighter-tongue lest I do it for you."
The Witchlighter dabbed her bloody lip with her pale hand, staining it instantly. She scanned the grounds and saw in a far off corner, Reynold looked on with a hint of fear noticeable, even from the distance. She imagined what he must look like up front, that damn traitor. She resisted the feeling to orb over and punch him clear across the face, but she feared Valen would just grab her orbs and banish them into another realm. She had to save them all, even Christy, but she couldn't find her at the moment. Not with Rose's deadly glare set upon her.
Acting quickly, Paige swept her hand across the air towards the pile of bodies, and focused on where she wanted them to go. She didn't want to reveal the location aloud, scared she'd be bringing demons into one of their homes, but she trusted in her power above all and watched as Piper, Cameron, and Billie were swallowed in orbs that vanished.
"I care not about them. I can chase Billie down at any given time, in fact, I'll make the hunt so bad she'll just give herself up," Rose commented, then her cool tone shifted venomous when she pierced Paige again with that sapphire gaze. "You on the other hand..."
Paige apologized for Christy in her head, knowing she had too much to live for now to attempt engaging in combat with Rose and the power of Valen. Orbs danced around the Witchlighter and understood her rush, vacuuming her body faster than usual, but she saw Rose aim her hand and felt as if everything slowed down. The momentum of her orbs were snail-slow and yet, Rose seemed so cheetah-fast as she approached Paige. "Being stuck in between is always the worst. Neither living nor dead." She raised her hand and a silver light flew from the core of her palm and bathed Paige like sunlight.
Time resumed and the orbs carried Paige free from the battlefield.
(X)
Paige's body dropped out of orbs in the Halliwell manor, sprawled against the attic floor. Piper's body was laid out, but her breathing seemed to be stable as she was recovering judged by the slow flutter of her eyes. Cameron was lifting his head up slowly, but speed jolted in him as he felt Billie's presence beside him and he rushed to check on her. Billie wasn't responding as Cameron picked her up from under her neck and looked around, "How'd we get here?"
Piper figured she was in the attic of her own home, unfortunately recognizing what her floor felt like due to being slammed down onto it countless times over the year. She pulled herself up and rubbed the back of her head, "Paige must've orbed us here since all the kids are at her house. I'm guessing she didn't want demons to follow us..." She turned and saw Paige, unmoving. "Paige?"
Cameron looked up, still holding onto Billie. "What's wrong with her?"
"Paige?" Piper weakly crawled over to Paige, poking her arm with a hard jolt. "Paige?" Piper dropped her head to Paige's chest, feeling the heart beat against her cheek and heard it clearly. She moved to Cameron and informed, "She's alive, her breathing is a little slower than it should be coming back from that fast-paced battle, but...she's alive. What's wrong with her?"
The mercenary used his extrasensory abilities to study the Witchlighter and his eyes saw a sapphire blue cage around her heart. He knew this was a tactic used by both Elders and demons when they wanted to punish someone they couldn't kill. The closest to death, but he knew this to be the work of Valen's power as the signature color was present. "She's alive, but she's stuck between life and death. She's comatose."
End of Chapter.
Author's Note: So yeah, this chapter took forever to come out. It was written early last year if I remember correctly, maybe summer (?), but I wasn't satisfied nor inspired enough to post it just yet. The next chapter is insanely important to the overall arch of identity and family in this story and has been a long time coming – way before the Prologue had it's first words written across that file almost three years ago. So, thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed the chapter and let me know what you thought.