AN: It is finally here, the final chapter of A Charmed Generation. It has been a wild ride, but I hope you enjoyed it. I have more to say but I will leave it for the end.

THE ETERNAL LIGHT

Beth was screaming at his brother. Ordinarily he would jump in to help his twin but not today. Today, he had bigger concerns than if his brother and his girlfriend broke up. Richard stared out the kitchen window at the last spot he thought he saw Zach. His mind was spinning. Too many different things happened in the last few hours. He needed a moment to breathe, to think. The problem was they did not have time. He did not have time. He could feel it, like a premonition itching to reveal itself if he had that power. Their ordeal was no over yet.

Rebecca was yelling something at a frozen Matt. Her high-pitched voice ripped at his eardrums. None of them were supposed to leave the house. Zach had to save them. He closed his burning eyes. There had to be something they could do. His mother was in surgery. Zach said she would be ok. He had spoken to his father. It did not make sense. His father should have called them. Why call Zach? Richard opened his eyes and met the red and puffy eyes of Beth.

"You!"

Richard raised his hands up in the air.

She poked him in the chest. "YOU!"

Richard glanced over at his twin. Michael gave him a shocked look and shrugged.

"Me?" he asked weakly.

Beth's eyes narrowed. "You should have told me."

"Er—ah…" Richard's eyes widened, caught. It was not his responsibility to tell Beth about who they were, but he felt this horrible urge to take the blame for his brother. It was a role he played often in their household growing up.

Beth's shoulders slumped. "Why not tell me?"

"I was…" started Michael.

Beth rounded on him. "Shut it! You don't get to speak."

Richard swallowed. "Now, isn't the best…"

Again, Beth interrupted the excuse. "No. Now is perfect. Now suits me just fine. What else do you have to do? Go after Zach?"

"Actually…"

Beth scoffed. "Those two things—demons—whatever…they're powerful, yes?"

Richard nodded too scared to speak.

"And what about you? How powerful are you? Could you take them?"

Richard bit his lip. She had hit the proverbial nail on the head. They were not powerful enough to stop Rahab and Tiamat, not without Zach.

"We can't give up," said Michael softly.

Beth's anger abated, replaced immediately by fear. "You think getting yourselves killed is heroic? Do you really think that's what Zach wants you to do? No. No. No. No. No! I don't think so. He would want you to survive. He turned himself over to save us. So, tell me why!"

Michael hesitantly reached out and placed his palm against her cheek. "It's not because I didn't trust you, Beth. The timing always just—uh—sucked. There wasn't a good moment."

"No, of course not. You needed to make one," snapped Beth.

Richard tried to step away from the conversation, but Beth caught him by the forearm in an iron-like grip.

"I've been out of the loop on all of this. Who were those guys? Why'd they look like our principles?"

Richard exchanged a look with his twin and cleared his throat. "We know them as Rahab and Tiamat. They're two very powerful demons who have taken over the Underworld. Our family, the Halliwell family, are powerful witches. They think powerful enough to stop them…"

Beth let him go and glared at her boyfriend. "What happened at the school? Why'd your uncle send us here?"

Michael shrugged. "You know as much as I do about that."

Beth studied him suspiciously.

"Honest! I was at home, remember with you."

"Why weren't you at school?" asked Kenny from his restricted spot on the couch.

Beth and Michael blushed. "Not your business."

Kenny groaned. "Right. Don't need to know. Angela was a demon. Matt decided to confront her, and—and…"

"And I screwed up," said Matt coldly. "That's what you're thinking."

Kenny shook his head. "No."

"Don't lie!" growled Matt. "I did. I screwed up. If I hadn't pissed her off my dad and uncle wouldn't be going to jail. If I had taken two seconds to think things through—we'd not be in this mess."

Richard shook his head. "I take it Angela was the reason Zach was acting weird?"

Kenny nodded, checking on Sophia and Rebecca. The two girls were huddled apart from the group. "She had him under a spell or something."

"Why put him under a spell? Why not just kidnap him?" mused Richard, thinking out loud.

"Does it fucking matter? He's gone! Wyatt and my dad are gone. Your mom, Sarah…we're alone and clueless," yelled Matt.

Richard ignored his cousin. "Kidnapping Zach would have been easy. They had you under their control while you were at school. What did seducing him gain them?"

Matt balled his hands into fists. Daniel held him back with a firm hand on his shoulder. "Let him think. We need to have a plan."

Andrew nodded. "Yeah."

Matt huffed. "We don't have…"

Richard let out a loud whoop. "Is it possible?"

"Possible? What is possible?" asked Matt, pulling himself free from Daniel's grip.

Richard waved his hand and a chart marking out the phases of the moon appeared in front of him. "Tonight's the new moon."

"So?" asked Matt. "It happens every month."

Richard rolled his eyes. "Think, Matt. The new moon is almost a powerful symbol in Wicca as the full moon. It is the best time to perform certain rituals, particularly darker ones. The summer solstice is next week. It is the most powerful new moon of the whole year."

Matt frowned. "How does this have anything to do with Zach?"

The rest of the group were as lost as Matt.

Richard sighed. "Today is a big day in our family."

Michael gritted his teeth. "Dude, spit it out already."

"For the past month Uncle Chris and I have been trying to figure out the end game. One of the possibilities he threw out was that Rahab and Tiamat are not the true leaders of this uprising. It fit with other things going on in the world. Neither of them has the power to influence mortals, but there is one demon who is renowned for it."

Matt gasped. "But he's dead! Anakin killed him."

Richard shrugged. "That's what Chris thought as well, but I researched resurrection rituals along with a few others. The ritual to…" he choked to a stop, staring out the window.

Matt spotted them as well. Four police cars were speeding up the street. "It couldn't be about us."

Richard sneered, "When have we been so lucky."

The cars pulled into a defensive formation in front of the house. Doors opened and policemen dress in tactical gear took up strategic positions. Further away, more cars were racing toward the house.

"Now, what?"

Everyone turned their eyes to Matt. Matt gulped. "Nah-ah, I'm not—stop it!"

"We're not supposed to leave the house," whispered Beth in a small voice.

Michael clutched his head. He stumbled into the kitchen table. "Fuck! GET DOWN!"

Everyone dropped to the floor not a moment too soon. A hail of bullets ripped through the kitchen shattering glass and tearing up wood. The gunfire stopped. Something much large went off, and the kitchen exploded.

Richard, eyes shut, grabbed hold of the nearest hands and orbed out. His control over the power had not improved much over the months, but it was enough. He reformed along with his companions in the wreckage of the kitchen. He blinked away flashes of light and tried to see whom he was holding hands with. Andrew and Beth stared back at him. They appeared unharmed. He rolled onto his back. Matt, Sophia, Rebecca, and Daniel lay to his right, alive. Kenny was on the floor behind him, half wrapped in a cocoon of burnt vines and withered leaves. That left his brother and Beth.

"They're coming!" yelled Matt.

His voice sounded a long way off to Richard. He needed to find his brother. Even if his brother had not acted in time, he would still be here somewhere.

"MIKE!"

Matt crawled over to him. "We need to go!"

Richard shook his head. "I need to find him."

"He's not here. I—my head's too banged up. He's not here," said Matt.

Richard refused to believe the truth before him. Desperatedly he continued calling out. "No. He's alive. I'd know! MIKE! BETH! MIKE!"

Zach curled up in the corner of a massive atrium. All around him demons buzzed hauling massive chunks of cement and rebar out of the room. He had thought initially he had been taken to someplace in the Underworld. The ruined building materials, however, told a different story. Wherever he was, something terrible had happened here. Deformed skeletal remains littered the ground. Bent and rusted athames were almost as common as the structural debris.

No one paid him any attention. The demons kept their heads down and continued with their work. Rahab was nowhere to be seen. Tiamat stood nearby directing the clearing of this section of the room. Zach cautiously glanced in the demon's direction still unable to believe how they had all been fooled for so long. They had spent an entire school year with Tiamat right under their noses. It was worse with Rahab. She had babysat him. He could not understand how his dad had not known. No demon should have been powerful enough to hide from his dad. His dad was the Twice Blessed, the heir to Excalibur.

A flash of light announced the arrival of more demons. These were not lowly workers. At the head of their company strode a very tall and beautiful female. She had a large tattoo of a bird rising out of flames on her barely covered chest. Four other demons followed her all dressed in similar tight black leather. One of the men stopped near Zach. He adjusted his belt. Zach briefly caught the outlines of a birthmark on his lower arm. Zach had enough self-control to not gasp in recognition. He knew what these demons were, and they were not demons at all. They were witches, powerful witches. His uncle Chris had told him about them. Chris even dated one. They were Phoenixes.

The woman stopped before Tiamat and bowed. Her followers followed her example begrudgingly. Zach watched as Tiamat sneered, all fear forgotten due to curiosity. The powerful demon adjusted his colorful tie and grunted something. The woman rose but motioned for the rest to remain still.

"Lord Tiamat…"

Zach cringed. A blast of energy sent the woman flying. She landed at Zach's feet, staring up at him with lifeless eyes. A small trickle of blood dribbled out of the corner of her mouth. The telekinetic hit had broken her neck. Zach gulped and hugged his legs closer to his chest. He needed to get out of here.

"Where are they!"

The male Phoenix took the spot of the former leader. He kept his prostrate position as he spoke. "We were too late. The house—sir, the mortals blew it up."

Tiamat growled. "Fucking idiots. Useless buffoons! Of course, the mortals blew up the house. We needed you to track them from the house. The Halliwells are resourceful. They were to remain under surveillance at all times."

The Phoenix shuddered as Tiamat approached him. "My lord…" he came to a choking stop.

Tiamat snapped his finger. The Phoenix started coughing. The coughing grew longer and harder. Zach watched in horror as the man rolled over onto his side still coughing. His lips were turning blue, and his eyes were bulging. Another Phoenix more courageous than the rest rushed to his aid. She was young with short brown hair. Zach guessed her age to be no more than seventeen. A fire burned in her green eyes as she yelled curses.

Tiamat cocked one perfect eyebrow and bent down. He grabbed hold of the man's hair and yanked the poor being's head back so their eyes met. His facial expression stilled any thought Zach had of acting. The leader of the Underworld pulled out a small dagger from his suit's pocket and dragged it along the man's face, leaving a thin line of red in its wake.

The teen Phoenix swung at him, but Tiamat was too fast. He flipped the dagger around and put an end to the punch with it. The Phoenix screamed in agony. Zach swallowed. A bleeding hand lay on the ground between Tiamat and the Phoenix.

"Get yourself back up there and find them. I do not care if it is burnt remains! I want to know where the fuck the Halliwell brats are. NOW!"

The two uninjured Phoenixes shimmered out. Tiamat let go of the Phoenix he had been torturing.

"She just saved your life, Phoenix. Make sure there is no need for her to do so again. I believe assassins require their hands to perform their jobs. You, take him out of my sight, and though I admire the spirit do not try something like that again. I am not known for my mercy." Tiamat said loud enough for Zach to hear.

The teen Phoenix stood up and glared at Tiamat. "I'll make sure you don't see me next time."

Tiamat chuckled. "Go."

The older Phoenix got to his unstable feet. He had to lean heavily on the girl. Zach was surprised to see her easily bear the added weight. She helped him start hobbling out of the room. Tiamat turned around and started directing a group of demons. When they got nearer to Zach, the girl let go of the older Phoenix, letting him slump against a pile of fallen roof. She walked over to Zach.

"You're the Halliwell?"

Zach nodded.

She sized him up. "Not much to look at. This is for you."

She held out a piece of paper. Zach hesitated a moment before reaching out and taking it.

"What is it?"

The Phoenix shook her head. "The rest is up to you. We've stuck our neck out enough for your family." She said in disgust.

Zach wanted to ask her something else, but she shimmered out somehow taking the older Phoenix with her. He crumpled the note in his fist, the information slowly sinking in as the adrenaline subsided. A house had been blown up. His family had been in the house. They could not be dead. He would sense if they were dead. He would know. He squeezed his eyes shut. Nothing. He felt nothing. The place was warded. He felt the paper in his hand and unfurled it.

Family is safe. Working on a rescue plan. Don't lose hope.

Zach scrunched the paper back into a ball and tossed it into the nearest set of flames. He did not recognize the handwriting. The tightness in his chest on intensified as he thought about his family. They were spread thin, beyond thin. His parents were out of commission. His grandmother was in the hospital. They were down to kids. Children, that is all they were. Hope was in short supply.

Zach felt the tears running down his cheek. He took an unsteady breath and wiped the tears aside with the back of his dirty hand. His body ached. The scar on his chest felt like it was on fire. It was almost finished its work. He could feel it. The dark burning cold around his core was almost complete. He could feel his connection with his magic fading. It was exhausting fighting to keep some sense of himself.

"You really are something."

Zach blinked and looked up to see Tiamat towering over him.

"What?"

Tiamat conjured a chair and sat down regally. "You are incredible. After everything you have gone through, and you are still fighting. I can see it in your eyes. That curse should have done its work on you months ago. We had hoped to perform the ritual at the winter solstice, but you were not ready. We had that half-breed vampire seduce you to speed things along. Still, you managed to escape her tendrils. Most men would be insane after what she put you through."

Zach smirked despite the hopeless situation. "I'm not most men."

"True. You are a Halliwell. One of the reasons I suggested we use a Vrykolakas to curse you. Their power-locking curses are incredibly powerful. You, somehow, managed to keep that curse from taking root. Out of the three curses place on you that night only one still remains. Luckily, it is the curse we needed."

Zach jerked away when Tiamat stretched out his hand. Tiamat smiled.

"You do not have to continue on fighting. I have a proposition for you. The ritual tonight has two possible ways to be performed. You can willingly be a part of it. There will be no pain, and you will be able to exact revenge for what was done to your precious Rebecca. Perform your part, and you will be granted a seat of power. I cannot promise you the lives of your family. My master has plans for them. I can promise you no more harm will befall your friends." Tiamat said without emotion.

Zach narrowed his eyes. "What the hell makes you think I'd ever help you?"

Tiamat leaned back. "Because the other way the ritual is performed you die. The curse has integrated itself into your very being. It is to serve as the power source for the ritual."

Zach blinked. "What is this ritual?"

"It is a…"

Rahab appeared next to her brother. "Telling secrets, brother mine?"

Tiamat rolled his eyes. "I was simply informing our guest of his options for tonight."

Rahab nodded. "Good. Go make sure the area is ready. The time is almost upon us."

Zach rose to his feet as Tiamat slunk off. He stared down Rahab. His former babysit was dressed in an elegant white dress. Her bushy hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. She looked human, too human. Even knowing what she was, Zach could not see the evilness he associated with demons and warlocks. In fact, her warm eyes reminded him strangely of Kenny.

"Why are you doing this?"

Rahab smiled softly. "Oh sweetie, this was in the works centuries before you were even alive. I will admit it was not the original plan, but I am thankful it has come to this. Everything works out in the end. My brother told you about our plans for young Peter?"

Zach gritted his teeth at the mention of the other unwilling guest. He had not seen Peter since their arrival. Rahab had handed the trembling mortal over to a group of hooded warlocks seconds after stepping into the atrium. Tiamat had dragged him in the other direction. He hated the teen for everything he had done to Rebecca, but he did not think he deserved this.

"What have you done with him?"

"Nothing. Rituals usually work best with fresh ingredients particularly this one. Certain items we have to settle for being a bit stale, but—oh well, you will see." Rahab stepped up closer. "Perhaps you will like to see a little now?"

Zach quivered. "See what?"

Rahab laughed airily. "The door."

"Are you sure this place is safe?" asked Matt warily.

His grandaunt Phoebe nodded. "As safe as anywhere can be these days. Your uncle Kyle helped me put the apartment into a trust that has no direct connection to me or this family."

Paige walked back into the living room of Phoebe's old apartment carrying a map and a scrying crystal. She laid the map down next to the open Book of Shadows. Richard was busy pouring over a section on resurrection and revival rituals. Michael joined Paige rubbing his hands together.

"So how does this work?"

Phoebe tenderly guided Matt away from the front door and to the table. "Scrying? Did Chris never teach you how to scry?"

Michael shrugged. "He did, but we've never done it."

Paige arched an eyebrow. "We don't have time for theory. Each of you need to add a drop of blood to the potion. We'll dip the crystal in the potion, and then pray our combined power is enough to overcome whatever wards and spells they have over the place they're holding Zach."

Phoebe handed Matt a pin. "Hurts less than a knife."

Matt frowned at the pin. "Why blood? Why is it always blood?"

He pricked the tip of his finger and squeezed out a few drops of crimson liquid into the miniature cauldron. Wisps of silvery smoke spiraled into the air. Phoebe nodded encouragingly. Matt handed the pin over to Michael who was nearest. Michael looked away as his used the pin to add his contribution to the potion. Richard closed the Book and stood up. He took the pin and stabbed his finger without hesitation. With the addition of his blood the potion changed color to a lilac. Paige dipped the crystal into the cauldron and swirled it around a few times before removing it.

"Here goes nothing," she muttered.

Phoebe cleared her throat. "Actually shouldn't Matt do it?"

Paige scowled. "They've never done this before."

"He's Zach's whitelighter," reasoned Phoebe.

Paige shook her head. "No. I'm half-whitelighter, and I've had the most practice. The number of times I've had to track down Henry Jr.—don't get me started. This is our best option."

Matt's phone beeped. He read the message. "They're safe. Sophia's dad is back. He has the house on lockdown."

"Did he get in contact with Chris's connections?" asked Phoebe softly.

Matt shrugged turning off his phone. He had only left it on to let him know Sophia got home safe. Now that she was home, it was only another way they could possibly track him and his family. As the light faded from the screen, he felt his connection to the world dim. He might never speak to his girlfriend again.

"I don't know."

Phoebe nodded and smiled sadly. "At least they're safe."

Richard stepped away from the table to give Paige more room to move the crystal over the map. He eyed his cousin. "Why'd you make Kenny stay with them?"

Matt narrowed his eyes. "You want to drag another person into this mess? Get someone else killed?"

Phoebe placed a hand on Matt's shoulder. "That's quite enough. We're all worried, but fighting won't help. You three have to be able to work together. We don't even know if the Power of Three will work."

"Or if we can perform a Power of Three spell. It's not like you think we're the new Charmed Ones," said Richard seriously.

"Honey…"

"No, Aunt Phoebe, don't try and deny it. It doesn't even matter. Of course we're not the Charmed Ones. The new Charmed Ones would included the strongest of us, and that's Zach." Richard continued.

Matt shook his head. "Charmed Ones or not, we're going to save Zach."

Richard nodded. "Agreed."

"It worked," cried Mike in excitement.

Paige peered down at the map. "They're in Langley, Virginia, or just outside it. It—it, actually, oh my God. Pheebs, look."

Phoebe joined her sister at the table. "Why'd they go there?"

Matt spoke up before Richard could. "It's the center of an alignment of ley lines."

"No, Matt, you don't understand," said Phoebe with a shaky voice.

Paige finished her thought. "That's the place Anakin died."

Matt, Richard, and Michael shared a look. Both Matt and Richard paled, understanding the implication. The spot confirmed what Richard had been saying back at Daniel's house.

"It's not possible. He was obliterated. I read what Holy Fire does. Nothing survives. Nothing," said Matt firmly.

Paige's frown deepened. "Wait. You thought they might be…"

Richard scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Not seriously. Chris threw out the idea off-handedly, but he believed what you believe, Matt. Nothing survives Holy Fire, but that's not entirely true, is it? We know of one person's soul that survived."

Phoebe shook her head. "Chris thought that they might be trying to resurrect Aeglaeca?"

"No, not Aeglaeca," said Richard meaningfully.

Paige's eyes widened. "Lucifer! They're—but it's not possible! They'd need blood of the Twice Blessed and a bunch of other stuff to open the gate."

Richard shrugged. "I don't know, Aunt Paige. All I know is if they were to try a ritual like that, tonight would be the night."

"Why'd they need Zach?"

"As a substitute for Wyatt?"

"No, that doesn't make sense."

"Impossible."

Michael slammed his palm onto the table, causing them to jump. "Enough. What does it matter? We're going to stop them. We know where they are. Let's go."

Phoebe took a deep breath. "We can't. If they're in those ruins, then they're unreachable."

"You broke into it before!" exclaimed Matt.

"With help. A wraith got them through the initial wards," explained Paige calmly.

Matt balled his hands into fists. "We found them by scrying. The wards can't be that strong."

Paige chewed on her tongue. "That is true. We couldn't find Prue when she was there."

"Doesn't mean we can just orb in."

Matt shook his head. "No, not orb. Reverse the Call to a Lost Witch spell."

Paige immediately struck down the idea. "No. You are not going in there without us, and that spell won't work for us. We'll think of something else."

"We don't have time," argued Richard. "The ritual has to be started exactly when the new moon is at its peak. That's in ten minutes."

Phoebe held up her hands. "Guys, we'll figure this out, but that's not an option."

Matt silently grabbed hold of Michael's hand. Richard had already linked arms with his twin. All three looked at their grandaunts.

"This is Zach. We can't do nothing," said Matt. He softly started the spell.

Richard nodded. "Tell our parents we love them if we don't come back."

Michael sheepishly smiled. "Sorry. We love you."

Phoebe reached out to grab them, but she was too late. The three teens vanished in a swirl of white lights. Paige sighed and shook her head.

"They made it. I can't sense them."

Phoebe pulled the Book over. "Make another batch of that potion. We're calling them back. Now!"

Paige pulled her sister into a hug. "It won't work. We'd have summoned Zach to us if we could. Now, it's up to them."

The massive execution chamber was cleared of unnecessary demons when Matt, Richard, and Michael arrived. For once, luck was on their side. Richard muttered a few words and cloaked the three from casual observation. He had read the spell during his research on rituals. The ink on the spell looked new, but Anakin had signed it with a post-script: Just in case.

Matt looked around, searching their surroundings. "Where is he?"

"If they started the ritual already, then the convergence of magics would have rebuffed…"

Matt rolled his eyes. "No time for theory, remember, Rick."

Richard bristled but kept his cool. "He's here, somewhere."

Michael bent down and picked up an athame. "What are we waiting for?"

He started to walk away from the group, but a motion in the distance froze him in place. A squad of warlocks with waxy skin rounded a pile of debris. The lead warlock motioned in their general direction and barked out an order. The smallest in the group stepped out of line and marched toward the cousins. Michael held his breath. He did not dare move a muscle. The warlock got near enough Michael could smell his rotten breath lingering on the stuffy air. Michael was about to use the athame he had picked up when a thought to keep still invaded his mind.

Richard opened his eyes, hoping his brother's telepathic power was strong enough to have caught his plan. They could not risk letting their enemy knowing they were in the building. Michael might be able to dispatch the warlock right in front of them, but the rest of the squad was too far away to ensure clean vanquishes. He shifted his weight onto his back leg, trusting Matt to use the distraction wisely. Closing his eyes again, he focused on the pile of debris behind the warlocks and then on the emotion rolling off the lead warlock. With all his being, he prayed his plan worked and flicked two of his fingers.

The precariously balancing pile wavered. A small chunk of cement broke loose and rolled down from the middle of the pile. Another larger piece followed in quick succession. The resulting noise gained the attention of some of the warlocks.

Matt was no longer beside Richard. The taller teen tried to find his cousin, but his cloak made it too difficult to spot him. Shifting his focus on the nearby warlock, he stepped up behind his brother and nudged the area he thought his shoulder would be. A flash of light revealed the metallic blade of the athame and the warlock fell to its knees choking on its own blood before flames erupted and consumed its body. The other warlocks shouted, but before they could act they too were vanquished via impalement.

"This cloak is just going to get us in trouble," commented Matt.

Both brothers jumped.

"Where are you?" asked Michael.

Richard muttered a few words and the cloak fell away. Matt stood halfway between them and the remains of the warlocks.

"We could have just let them pass," argued Richard.

Matt shrugged. "It was too risky. What if he had bumped into Michael?"

Michael pocketed his athame. "I could have handled him."

"But not the rest of them. We need a plan."

Richard rubbed his hands together. "It's freezing."

Matt agreed silently. His breath rose in faint puffs of mist in front of his face. The temperature had dropped significantly since they had arrived. "What does it mean?"

Michael looked around. "How the hell are we going to find Zach?"

"They are in the center of the room would be my guess. They've cleared the debris to make paths, like a maze. That'd be my plan. Make it impossible for anyone to reach the center directly," reflected Richard.

Matt struggled to contain his frustration. "So what are we going to do? We don't have time to get lost in a fucking maze."

Two white orbs descended from the destroyed ceiling and hovered in front of them for a moment. The cousins tensed readying for a fight. The orbs grew bright and Phoebe and Paige stumbled out of thin air. The cousins relaxed.

"It worked," said Phoebe, surprised.

Paige rolled her eyes. "Of course it worked. We used Piper's blood. You three are in huge trouble."

Matt frowned. "Grandma is out of surgery?"

"Yeah, honey, she's doing much better," comforted Phoebe.

Paige's lips thinned. "Don't change the subject. What were you thinking? You don't have any plan. These demons aren't playing around. You should—at least you're safe. We need to get out of here."

"Not without Zach," said Matt resolutely.

Paige sighed. "We're not going to do him any good rushing in half-cocked. Why is it so cold?"

"They've started the ritual. It'll be sucking in the energy from the surroundings," explained Richard monotonously. "And we had to come. Zach's here."

Phoebe and Paige blew out shared exasperated breaths. They wanted to save their grandnephew as much as the cousins did. They, unfortunately, had the experience the cousin lacked. Both former Charmed Ones understood the chances of saving Zach were slim, and they did not want to lose any of their other family members in a futile attempted rescue. It would have been different if Piper was with them or Wyatt, but they lacked the necessary firepower to take on demons in the same league as Zankou.

"What is your plan?" inquired Phoebe.

The twins started talking but fell silent when Matt opened his mouth. At least, they had found a way to work together, decided Phoebe. They had chosen a leader.

Matt shook his head slowly almost in defeat. "We don't have one. We don't even know where he is. The spell should have taken us right to him. From there we were hoping the Power of Three spell would buy us enough time to escape."

"Not the worse plan ever," admitted Paige. "It worked against the Seer when she was possessed by the Source's heir."

Phoebe cringed at the memory. "But they're not even Charmed. That spell only works for the Charmed Ones."

Phoebe would have continued her argument, but Paige motioned for her to be quiet. She gestured for Matt to join the group and together they pressed themselves into the makeshift maze wall. The sounds of footsteps echoed around them, growing steadily louder. Paige edged forward, placing herself between the children and the approaching footsteps. She felt Phoebe come up beside her. It had been years since the sisters had gone on a demon vanquish, but the routine came back easily. She knew exactly what Phoebe was planning just like she knew her sister could guess her strategy.

The group of massive brute demons rounded the corner. They hesitated for a moment before charging. Two of the demons threw energy balls at the witches. Paige waved her hand and the energy balls orbed into the two nearest demons. Their screams of anguish were drowned out by the shrieks from the pair of demons Phoebe easily vanquished. The final demon bared its teeth.

"Halliwells!" he sneered.

More demons came around the corner clearly attracted by the noise. The two Charmed Ones wordlessly ordered the cousins to stay out of their way. Phoebe pulled out a potion from her pocket and threw it at the nearest demon. The potion hit him in the chest. The resulting explosion spun him around. Thick white and pungent fluid sprayed from the wound on its chest. The potion had an acid base. The demon nearest the dying one caught some of the sprayed liquid in the eyes and collapsed to the ground, clawing at her blistering face.

A third demon, the largest out of the newest group of four, lunged at Paige, athame in hand. Paige easily deflected the attack and dropped the demon to the floor. She orbed the athame into her hand and drove it into his back between his well-defined shoulder blades. She twisted the blade and pulled it free. A sharp flick of her wrist embedded the weapon in the side of the neck of a harpy. Paige spun around and kicked high, catching another brute demon in the chin, snapping his neck. That left two demons.

One of the demons, a thin woman with bright blue runes carved into her skin attacked Phoebe. Something thin and sharp spun through the air and caught her in the right forearm. Pain shot up to her shoulder, and she lost her grip on her potion. The potion fell to the ground. She stooped to collect it with her left hand. She looked up to see her attack leaping toward her, sharp feline claws replacing fingers.

On her knees, Phoebe reflexively raised her arm to fend off the blow. The warlock slashed down, grinning victoriously. Phoebe shut her eyes but the blow never landed. She opened her eyes to find the warlock frozen in mid-air. A glance over her shoulder revealed Richard with his arms outstretched. Matt had his hands directed at the warlock. Despite years of dealing with demons, Phoebe jumped when the warlock started moving again. Instead of continuing on her descending arch toward the Charmed One, the warlock flew into the wall, crashing through it. Phoebe scrambled to her feet.

"Thanks," she breathed.

Paige faced the final demon, holding a rotting pleiomorph in one hand. The demon was more cautious than the others. He circled her, looking for an easy killing blow. Paige crouched down, waiting and watching. Her knees ached, but she kept her stance. The demon hunched his shoulders and shifted, preparing for an assault. Paige took a half-step forward, baiting him. The demon jumped toward her, and Paige pulled back from her feint. She pivoted on her right foot and brought her arm down, dragging the pleiomorph through the air. The razor sharp edge of the ancient weapon sliced through the demon's thick hide like a hot knife through butter. The demon doubled over in shock and pain as flames turned him into ash.

Paige stood up, triumphant just as the female warlock landed behind her. She heard everyone scream and turned around too late. The warlock wrapped her powerful fingers around her neck and squeezed.

"Don't move," hissed the warlock.

Paige ignored her and tried to pry the fingers off her throat. She gasped for air. The warlock squeezed tighter. In the corner of her fading vision she saw a long piece of rusted rebar. She called for it in her mind. Her vision continued to cloud over. The warlock was saying something, but she did not have the brainpower to decipher the words. Her world was fading away. The burning in her chest grew worse. Her lungs craved oxygen.

Matt moved to take on the warlock, but Phoebe held him back. He saw the rebar turn into orbs briefly before Paige slumped. The rebar landed uselessly on the floor. The warlock mocked them, slowly backing away. She was distracted. Matt waved his finger and the long piece of metal rose into the air. His aim had to be exact. Off by even a little bit and he would skewer his grandaunt. He squinted at the demon and gestured with his hand. The rebar shot from the place it had been hovering. The warlock blinked out of the way, dropping Paige. Matt immediately orbed the unconscious Charmed One to him.

The warlock returned, holding a flat disc of blue energy. She threw it at the group of witches. Richard redirected it with a blast of telekinesis. The effort dropped him to his knees, and he took in a deep shuddering breath. Michael threw his athame at the warlock who knocked it out the air with one of her own. She lazily played with the blade taking aim at the twin. She threw the blade. Michael dove out of the way. His leap carried him too far, and he crashed into a large piece of cement.

"Mike!" cried Richard.

Phoebe charged at the warlock. In range, she launched herself into the air. She slammed into the warlock with the ferocity and agility of a leopard. They both fell to the ground. The warlock scratched at her with her claws. Phoebe batted aside the attacks. She needed a weapon. An athame orbed into her hand. She wasted no time. The athame pierced the warlock's eye. Phoebe pulled back and slammed it again into the warlock, breaking off the blade in the warlock's brain. She rolled off the limp body, chest heaving.

"We're getting too old for this."

Matt helped her back to her feet. "You're bleeding."

Phoebe looked down at her arms. They looked like someone had taken a weed whacker to them. They stung, and she felt lightheaded from the loss of blood. "How's Paige?"

She wrapped an arm over Matt's shoulders and let him guide her back to the group. Richard was inspecting his brother's head wound. Michael's eyes did not quite focus on her as he smiled. Paige was propped up against the makeshift wall. She was covered in dust, and her neck had angry red finger marks. When she spoke it was in a raspy voice.

"You look like hell."

Phoebe sat down beside her sister. "You don't look much better."

Paige held out her hands. "Let me."

Phoebe let Paige heal her arms, as she caught her breath. They could no longer rely on the element of surprise. The noise of the battle would have altered the sentries to their presence. They had to find a way out.

"We need to go."

Matt folded his arms over his chest. "Not without Zach."

Phoebe pointed at the destruction of the battle. "Those demons were low-level grunts, and we barely survived. What makes you think we can take on Tiamat and Rahab?"

"Zach's counting on us," said Matt stubbornly.

"He wouldn't want you to get yourself killed," said Paige tiredly. "We know it sucks. We want Zach home safe as much as you do, but…"

"NO!" Matt slammed his foot into the ground. "We're not leaving without him. You can go. You've got families to get back to. He's my family—my brother. I'm not leaving him down here."

Both Charmed Ones flinched. Matt's tirade showed just how fractured their family had become. No one could blame them. As their children grew and started families of their own, it became harder to get the whole family together. It had been years since any sort of family reunion had taken place. Matt had been a baby the last time they had all shared a Christmas together.

"Matt, it's…"

Matt narrowed his eyes and glared at them. "It's not an option. We've got to get him back. We've got to stop this ritual."

Richard joined them with a woozy Michael at his side.

"Here, I can heal that," said Paige.

Michael sat down and blinked slowly. "You've got fairies dancing around your head," he quipped, giggling.

"How are we going to get to Zach?" asked Richard.

Matt looked back at the piles of ash. "How many of those potions do you have?"

Phoebe started to dig in her pocket.

Zach stood rigidly between Rahab and Tiamat. Rahab was addressing the gathered collection of demons. The demons were the leaders of the various fractions in the Underworld. Rahab had united them in an uneasy alliance. He could see that none of the demons trusted each other. The only thing holding them together was their fear of Rahab and Tiamat. All they had to do was vanquish those two and the Underworld would dissolve into chaos. It sounded so simple in his head.

The various demonic leaders stood in a semi-circle around a massive golden pentagram. In each point of the five-membered star was carved a rune. He did not know what any of them meant; his education in ancient demonic rituals was minimal. Each carved rune was inlayed with a different substance. One contained fire, and another water. Yet another was filled with something remarkably like blood. The other two represented earth and air. At the pinnacle of each point lay a candle. It was the object in the center that captivated Zach's attention.

"Tonight, marks a new beginning. It is the means to our ultimate victory," droned Rahab.

Zach ignored her and stared at the center of the pentagram. A large stone table sat in the dead center. He knew that more runes were carved on the stone along with depictions of an ancient battle. He had recognized some of the symbols for Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Rahab had informed him the table was the same stone Abraham had almost sacrificed Isaac on. He did not understand the significance, but he knew the reason why the table now stood where it did.

"You are the thirty of his most loyal children. Step forward and add your blood to the table. With your sacrifice, we are one step closer to freeing our father."

As one the thirty demonic leaders stepped into the pentagram. They each placed one hand on the stone table. The runes on the table burned bright, and the demons shrieked. Zach slapped his hands over his ears to bloke out the sound. His teeth chattered as the temperature dropped below zero. He watched in awe as one by one the demons were absorbed into the stone. One managed the ripped his hand from the table.

"You said we were to be rewarded."

Rahab laughed coldly. "You are."

Tiamat waved his hand and the demon was thrown back onto the table. He whole body convulsed and splintered as the table absorbed his essence. Dark tarry blood seeped out of the demons pores and boiled away when it touched the superheated stone. The smell made Zach gag, and he turned away to throw up. Tiamat laughed maliciously, reveling in the pain and destruction.

"Zachary, your choice," said Rahab kindly.

Zach glared at her. "DON'T CALL ME ZACHARY!"

He tried to punch her, but Tiamat caught his wrist. He swung his other fist at the demon's face. Tiamat squeezed. Bones snapped, dropping Zach to the floor. His wrist swelled. Rahab backhanded Tiamat, sending him flying off the small dais.

"Enough, brother!"

Tiamat crawled back and bared his white pointy teeth. "He should be laid out and flayed. We need his magical core not him."

Rahab chuckled and stepped off the dais gracefully. "Brother mine, how much sweeter will our father's victory be when he can claim the heir to his most hated enemies as a loyal follower? You know how much it will destroy the Halliwells to know that their precious savior is nothing more than a killing monster. We may have rendered the family temporarily helpless, but it will not be enough to destroy them. We must break their spirit. After all the evils they have inflicted on our family, it is the least they deserve. Father wishes for this to be Zach's choice. Do not question his orders again." She hissed the last part as a deadly warning.

Tiamat gnarred but remained still. Rahab graced him with a small consolatory smile. "Do not fret. You will have your part to play. Go get the mortal. I need to talk to our guest."

Tiamat vanished in a swarm of shadows. Rahab stood up and turned back to face Zach. "You really should not have tried to strike me. My brother can be very protective. Do you need healing? I know a spell or two that can mend broken bones."

Zach clutched his broken wrist to his chest. "What the fuck? Do you think by being all gentle and kind you're going to win me over? You're evil! I'm never going to trust you."

"Sweetie, you do not have to trust me. You can hate me all you like. You can still take your revenge. One has very little to do with the other," said Rahab airily as she glided back to him.

Tiamat reappeared with a struggling Peter. He threw the teen onto the sacrifice table and tied him down with rope. Clearly he had taken out his frustration on the teen in transit. Peter was barely recognizable for all the cuts and bruises. He was missing one of his eyes, a new addition to his long list of injuries. Zach stared down at Peter.

"He raped your girlfriend. He has made your life miserable. This is your chance. Take the dagger. No one will stop you. End his life. All I require is his heart," whispered Rahab.

Zach closed his eyes. The desire was strong. He had imagined killing Peter a thousand different ways after learning the truth about him and Rebecca. The impulse to put an end to all the suffering Peter had caused rested heavily on his heart. He knew it was not right, but it felt so good.

Just imagine how much better it will feel when his warm blood is dripping from your fingers.

Zach's eyes snapped open. The voice purred in his head. It sunk into the recesses of his mind, calling out to his darker fantasies.

Join us. Join us and save everyone you hold so dear. You have the power to make them all safe. You know you do. It is morality that is holding you back. Why follow a morality when no one else is? You heard the reports. The mortals blew up your family. No warrant. No justice. Just fear-driven murder. You can save them. Together we can bring about order again. Join us. Pick up the knife.

Zach shook his head. The voice was so seductive. He could feel the curse in his chest, which had until this point been vibrating, still. The curse settled in the presence of this voice. For the first time he felt like he could breathe properly. He could think.

His life means nothing. He deserves death. You know he does. Pick up the knife. Deliver the justice he deserves.

Without thinking, Zach held out his hand and the ceremonial dagger laying on the nearby table snapped into his hand. The other objects on the table floated off it and landed on the stone near Peter's head. Zach took a step closer to the pentagram and the glass jars shuttered spreading their contents over the table and Peter. He stepped down off the dais. Tiamat retreated out of his way. He glided over the outer circle. The magic swirling in the air made the hair on his arms stand on end. He took a deep breath feeling the raw power further soothe his curse. He sidled up to the table and looked down at Peter.

"Help me," begged Peter, coughing. Faint pink spittle sprayed into the air with each cough.

Zach reached out and touched Peter's cheek. A spark jumped between his finger and Peter. Zach withdrew his hand, keeping his face neutral. He raised the dagger.

Yes! Do it! End his life! Exact your revenge. DO IT!

Zach blinked. "Run." He slashed the knife down and cut all three ropes tying Peter down.

NO! FINISH HIM! KILL HIM!

The ground shook. Zach shoved Peter off the table just as an energy ball shattered the stone. Zach grabbed Peter's hand and pulled the teen along. He threw the dagger over his shoulder as he ran. A roar told him the blade hit someone. Reaching a large pile of wreckage, Zach threw himself behind it, dragging Peter with him.

"Thank you," gasped Peter.

Zach glared at him. "Shut it. Shit this hurts."

Peter blubbered, "Can't you orb? My dad said your family could orb."

"How the fuck does your dad know what we can do. No, shut up. I'm thinking."

"Orb! Orb us out of here!" yelled Peter.

Zach balled his one good hand into a fist and nearly punched Peter, stopping an inch from his already broken nose. "If I could orb, I'd have done that. They've got wards up."

A massive fire ball smashed into the wreckage. The pile toppled over onto of the teens. Zach raised his hand and telekinetically kept the pieces from crushing them. With a stronger effort of will, he threw the pieces aside. The pain in his chest returned in earnest. It took his breath away, and he double over.

"What's wrong?" asked Peter.

Zach gritted his teeth. "It's nothing."

"Come out and play, little witch," called Tiamat.

Peter whimpered. "I want to go home."

"For fuck sake would you stop. I'd like to be home as well, but we're not. So shut up and grow a pair," snarled Zach.

Peter shrunk away from Zach.

"Why aren't they attacking?" asked Zach more to himself than to get an answer.

"Dude…"

"I'm not your dude," hissed Zach.

Peter shuddered. "I'm—I'm sorry. For—for everything. You're good people. You didn't deserve the shit I put you through."

Zach rolled his eyes. "Save it for when we're out of here. Then I'm going to kick your ass for what you did to Rebecca."

"That—I promise—that wasn't me. I mean it was me, but it wasn't. It was like I was there but not controlling what I was doing. There was just this voice. I can't even remember the actual—er, um…" Peter fell silent, panting from the pain.

Zach peeked around the pile of rubble. Rahab was standing on the dais waving her hands in intricate patterns. The pentagram was pulsating with energy. Tiamat was nowhere to be seen. He ducked back behind the debris. He slumped back trying to think. The voice in his head had vanished, but the pain from the curse only intensified with each breath. He was starting to hyperventilate from the pain, unable to take a deep breath.

"Can you see Tiamat?" he asked.

Peter frowned. "Tiamat? You mean Dr. Ianos?"

Zach nodded, finding it too difficult to talk. Beads of sweat broke out across his forehead. The pain was going to overwhelm him soon. It was already spreading beyond his chest. Stabbing jolts of agony ran up and down his arm with the crushed wrist.

"He's not this side," said Peter. "Do you—Tiamat?"

Zach bit the inside of his cheek. "Dr. Ianos is a demon, so is his sister. Couldn't you figure that out for yourself?"

Peter sobbed. "Not thinking straight, du—Zach. Kinda had my head beaten in."

Zach nodded once. "Right. Whatever. How'd they get you? Weren't you in jail?"

"I got released on bail. Mrs. Ianos, er, Rahab appeared in my room and grabbed my hand. Next thing I knew I was kneeling on the ground in front of Daniel's house. God, it hurts to move."

Zach agreed silently. "Think you can run? I don't know how far the ward reaches. Maybe, we can make it over it, and then I can orb us the hell out of here."

"Witchy, come out and play. Do you not want to stop us? Our father will destroy everyone and everything you hold dear. I thought good witches were sworn to stop bad things from happening," taunted Tiamat with glee.

Zach took a few quick readying breaths and forced himself onto his feet. He crunched low to keep himself out of any direct lines of fire. Barely raising his eyes over the top of their protection, he searched for Tiamat. He caught sight of a darker patch of shadows. The denser shadows vaguely formed the shape of a human. He concentrated and an energy ball formed in the palm of his hand. Ignoring the pain, he raised his hand over his head and chucked the energy ball in the direction of the shadows. The shadows shifted, and Tiamat knocked the energy ball off its path. A crocodilian grin spread across his face.

"So the witch has decided to play. Perfect. I have always wanted to finish what I started all those years ago." Tiamat almost sang with delight.

Zach frowned.

Tiamat slunk closer. "No witty retort? I am disappointed. Oh—oh no, do not tell me. It cannot be true. Please, tell me it is not true. Have your parents truly not told you? At least you mother knows the truth. She saw me that rainy night on that very slippery road."

Zach froze. "You're—it was you!"

Tiamat snorted loudly. "Of course it was I!"

Zach abandoned all thought of caution and rose to his fill height. Peter tried to stop him, but he shoved the teen to the ground. He formed another larger energy ball. He stepped out from behind the rubble and leveled Tiamat with his eyes. Hatred burned behind the shiny blue orbs. The energy ball throbbed in his palm, waiting to be released.

Tiamat sauntered toward Zach. His skin thickened and his mouth elongated. He did not bother to conjure an energy ball of his own. He planed to kill the witch with his bare hands. There was no fear or concern as he felt the energy pour off Zach only joyous determination. Whether his sister managed to perform the ritual or not mattered little to him. The whole point of this exercise for him was to kill and maim as many people as he could.

"I watched your sister get dragged underneath the car. The way her little body broke was pure…" He did not finish his thought. Zach had unleashed his energy ball with such ferocity he had to dive out of the way.

Zach closed the gap between them and threw a punch. Tiamat countered by stepping to the side. His skin nearest the witch started to boil. He took another step back and conjured a short sword. He moved with a casual predatory grace. His prey was slightly more dangerous than he originally thought.

For his part, Zach watched Tiamat. He felt some satisfaction that the demon had conjured a weapon. He was getting to the beast that had killed his baby sister. Thoughts of Pax lying dead on the dirty road burned through him erasing any earlier pains and fears. His one desire tonight was to avenge his sister.

Tiamat took a step toward him. Zach took a step back and summoned Excalibur. The legendary sword popped into his hand, and the blade glowed with a dark blue hue. He felt the energy hum against his skin. It was intoxicating.

Tiamat came in with a sweeping slash at Zach's thigh. Without thinking as if he had used the sword a thousand times before, Zach countered, blocking the attack with ease. The tip of the blade scraped along the ground, leaving a large scorch mark in its wake. Zach stepped back and aimed Excalibur at Tiamat's heart. Tiamat tried the same attack for a second time. Zach parried higher and twisted on his heel. He used the added momentum to fuel his roundhouse kick. His foot slammed into Tiamat's chest. Tiamat lost his balance and fell to the ground.

Zach pressed his advantage and swung his sword down. Tiamat managed to get his own blade up to block the attack, but Zach had the leverage. He leaned his weight into the attack, and the blades inched closer to Tiamat's neck. Watching Tiamat struggle to stop his progress, Zach grinned vindictively.

"This is for Pax," he yelled.

Excalibur burned brighter and began to melt through Tiamat's blade.

Tiamat cursed. "SISTER!"

Excalibur sliced through the weakened metal of the other blade. Zach stumbled at the sudden lack of resistance. Tiamat spun to the side, while swiping out with his clawed hand. Excalibur did its job and cut through flesh and bone, instead of Tiamat's neck it was his arm. Tiamat shrieked and kicked out, catching Zach in the hip. The slender framed witch sailed across the floor, slamming back into the wreckage he had been using as a hiding place. Dazed, Zach remained still.

Tiamat got back up snarling with rage. He conjured a fire ball. "You'll pay for that!"

He threw the fire ball at Zach.

"No!"

Someone jumped out in front of Zach. The fire ball hit the person in the back and knocked him into Zach. Zach gasped.

"Peter!"

Peter blinked slowly.

"Thought I'd return the fav…" His eyes fluttered shut.

Zach shoved the body off of him, shocked back into reality. Everything he had ever thought about Peter ran through his mind. The teen had saved his life. His last act in this life had been to save the life of his enemy. Zach pulled himself up, leaning on Excalibur.

"This one is for you," said Tiamat throwing another fire ball.

Zach swung Excalibur widely and knocked the fire ball back at Tiamat. It hit his chest and the demon roared. Any sort of humanoid features vanished in his face. Dark green scale erupted over his whole body, and a massive muscular tail sported out of his back. He dropped onto all fours, his arm having grown back, and snapped his jaws. Zach gulped.

"I will kill you, witch," hissed the reptile.

Zach let Excalibur vanish. He would not be defeating this beast with a sword. He flicked his hand. The floor beneath Tiamat exploded, showering them with pieces of rock and cement. Zach coughed against the dust and tried again. His second attack rebounded off the armored hide and struck the dais. He switched tactics forming a fire ball while backpedaling as fast as he could.

Rahab appeared next to Peter's fallen body. Zach yelled at her to leave him alone, but she ignored him. He could do nothing to stop her from ripping out his heart. A glancing blow from Tiamat's jaws threw him through the air. He landed hard on the ground and rolled out of the way of the massive tail. His fire ball slipped out of his fingers and evaporated. Tiamat roared again and advanced on him. In desperation Zach threw out both hands. A bolt of something leaped from his hand and hit Tiamat in his softer underbelly. Tiamat's formed shifted, becoming for humanoid.

Confused Tiamat charged Zach. Zach bent low and rammed his shoulder into the oncoming demon. They fell on top of each other.

"ZACH!"

Tiamat rolled them over so that he was on top. He raised his clawed hand to rip apart Zach's throat when he found himself hurtling toward the edge of the pentagram. He dug his hand into the ground, halting his flight and looked back at his victim. Zach was no longer alone. His three cousins were standing at his side along with two of the Original Charmed Ones. Tiamat screeched in frustration and released his most dangerous attack. Swirls of dark black energy formed in the palms of his massive hands.

"Zach!" exclaimed Matt, hugging his cousin.

Phoebe interrupted the reunion. "Start chanting!"

Together all six witches started chanting. "The Power of Three with set us free. The Power of Three will set us free. The Power of Three will set us free."

The energy from Tiamat hit them, as a wall of power sprang in front of them. The energy was redirected. It caught Tiamat in the stomach and ripped it to shreds. Still the crazed demon continued his assault. The witches continued to chant. Slowly Tiamat was lifted into the air as his own attack destroyed his body. His eyes burned black. He opened his mouth to scream. Something bright and golden struck him from behind.

"It is finished. Sorry, brother," whispered Rahab.

Tiamat's broken body touched the remnants of the sacrifice table. His essence separated from his physical body, which burnt away. The inky blackness of Tiamat's essence sunk into the stone, filling the glowing runes. The glow changed from an angry red to a deeper dark claret. The stone vibrated and a wave of energy flung Rahab out of the pentagram. The pentagram thrummed, sending low reverberations throughout the whole complex.

"What the hell just happened?" asked Michael.

Paige gulped. "I think we just helped finish the ritual," she said fearfully.

The pain in Zach's chest exploded, and he fell forward. Matt reached out to catch him, but his skin burned. He pulled back automatically. Zach's head nearly hit the floor but stopped just short. An invisible force flipped him over. He opened his mouth as if to scream, but no sound came out. His whole body convulsed, and his shirt turned to dust. The scar of his chest darkened and thin lines of black stretched out over his whole body. Slowly he began to float toward the pentagram like a lifeless puppet suspended by strings.

"Zach!" called out Richard.

Paige held out her hand and tried to orb her grandnephew to her. Nothing happened.

Michael raced forward. He reached Zach and grabbed hold of the unconscious teen's hand. Like Matt, his skin boiled and burned from the intense heat radiating off Zach's body. He did not let go. He dug his heels into the ground and pulled. Rahab appeared and ripped him off Zach. She threw him aside.

"Leave him! It is over."

Michael bounced off the ground; the breath knocked out of him. He came to a stop and tried to gasp for air. His head pounded with renewed pain. The pain in his shoulder was a numbing dullness he associated with a dislocation. Gingerly he turned his head and was not surprised to see his shoulder in tatters. Rahab had torn through flesh and tendons. Blood pooled beneath him on the cold floor. He wanted to call out to his brother, but a coughing fit left him dizzy and disoriented.

Rahab stalked toward the three witches. She called forth a fire ball and set it orbiting around her. She added another to the first, then a third and fourth. She stopped her progress a few feet in front of Phoebe who had taken the point position. The middle Charmed One held a potion in one hand and a jagged piece of metal in the other. Rahab straightened her robes, splattered in blood and ash.

"The potion will not work," said Rahab calmly.

Phoebe did not lower the potion. "Can't hurt to try."

Rahab shrugged. "Perhaps, but you would have to agree that your sister is by far the superior potion brewer. If her potions did not stop me, why would your attempt?"

"I've got a few tricks up my sleeve," said Phoebe.

Rahab tittered. "I do love the bravado this family possesses. It is a refreshing change from the usual supplications for mercy."

"Did it hurt to be shot?" asked Paige with a restraining hand on Richard's shoulder. Both witches kept glancing at Michael.

Rahab looked over her shoulder at the injured witch and licked her lips. "I can assure you Michael is still alive. As to your question, Paige, witch hunter bullets do pack a punch. I will have to pay Aldrich a visit when we are done here."

The whole room shook as another shockwave of energy rippled out of the ritual circle. Phoebe threw the potion, managing to keep her balance. Rahab caught the vial effortlessly and tossed it to the ground. The vial broke and released its contents in plumes of dark purple. Rahab inhaled deeply and smiled.

"Aconite and just a hint of asafoetida, a dangerous combination. That would have stung. Stay down, witch; there's nothing more you can do."

Phoebe felt pressure on her lower back. It spread out to encompass the rest of her back and shoulders. The pressure increased, bearing down on her with such intensity she could hear her bones creak. She dropped to her knees unable to remain standing under the invisible force. Focusing on Rahab, she tried to use her empathy, but the demon was a blank canvas when it came to emotions. She must have taken the empath blocking potion.

"Leave her alone, my dear," said a deep baritone voice.

The pressure immediately let up from Phoebe, and she looked up. The scene made her almost wish for the force to return. Standing beside Rahab was her oldest nephew or at least his body. Zach's skin was translucent to the point that she could see all his muscles and internal organs. All of his blood vessels were a black, accentuating the black lines stemming from the scar on his chest. The scar was a solid void, sucking in color from the surroundings. Flickers of gray flames jumped out of the void at odd moments. He turned his eyes on her. Orbs of the brightest white stared back at her. A menacing grin spread across his face.

"Milord!" cried Rahab with ecstasy and awe. "It worked."

The demonic Zach cocked his head to one side. The smile vanished. Phoebe knew what was going to happen by the expression of disgust on his nephew's pale face. She almost screamed out a warning but was too late. Zach raised one hand and spread out his fingers. A series of pops broke the shocked silence followed by an unearthly pain-filled screech. Rahab collapsed to the floor; ever single joint in her body bent at unnatural angles. Her body twitched and jumped as she continued to scream.

"Silence," whispered Zach, yet his voice carried.

Rahab continued to scream, but her voice vanished.

Zach looked down at the bushy haired demon apathetically. "It did not work, Rahab, my sweet. This vessel is useless to me. I told you to gain his willingness. This had to be his choice."

Rahab stared up at Zach, helpless. Mouthing words, she tried to move, but her body would not respond. Zach kicked her out of his way as he walked away from the ritual altar. Nothing remained of the ancient stone table. Even the metallic pentagram on the ground no longer existed. All that remained to bear witness to what had occurred was a very faint tracing of the runes.

"I would not try summoning Excalibur, Matthew," said Zach smoothly. "You are not prepared to stand against me in a duel."

Phoebe looked back at Matt, silently willing him to not aggravate the situation. The ritual had not worked. That meant there might be a way to evict the demon possessing Zach. She just needed time to think. Piper had been possessed once so had she. Her possession by the heir to the Source had only ended with that child's death, her child. Prue and she had written a spell to de-possess Piper. The spell required the Power of Three. If only she could remember the spell.

Zach stopped right in front of her. She could not feel any animosity from the man in front of her. His eyes scared her, but he remained passive. She forced herself to stay calm. The smell of sulfur was overwhelming. Zach reached out slowly and patted her on her shoulder.

"I have been extremely rude up to this point. Let me introduce myself. I am Heosphoros. You may know me better by another name. I always preferred the Greek language over the bastard tongue of those Romans. It just makes more of an impression. Nevertheless, you may call me Lucifer if you find it easier."

Matt let out an almost feral noise. "Zach…"

Lucifer placed a slender finger to his lips, silencing Matt. "The young witch is still alive somewhere in here. It is a very tiresome process to actively kill a host's soul. It is much easier to simply let the spirit whither and fade away."

Matt stepped forward, arms raised. Paige tried to restrain him, but he threw off her hand. He shoved his hand in Lucifer's direction. Lucifer slid back a few paces perfectly relaxed. He cocked his head to one side, exposing more blackened veins and arteries. The transparent skin stretched and cracked. A thick tarry substance wept out of the injury.

"Zach's body won't last long enough for his spirit to fade," said Paige, dragging attention to herself.

Lucifer indicated his admiration with a brief decline of his head. "True. A mortal's body, even one imbued with magic, is not designed to contain an essence such as myself. Zach fought against the ritual, requiring me to modify my plan somewhat. Rather than recreate my physical form, the ritual let me enter this body. It bought me time to create a more suitable vessel."

"We won't let that happen," provoked Paige.

Lucifer smiled cruelly. "Paige, there was a time, perhaps, you and your sisters posed a threat to my goals. That time has long since passed. Now, I have so far seen no need to include your and Phoebe's families in my plans. You can leave, and I promise you and your families will remain untargeted. Stand in my way, and death will be swift."

Phoebe backed up until she stood level with her sister. She surreptitiously took hold of Paige's hand. On her other side, Richard stepped up to show a united front. She had a plan. It only had a slim chance of working. Lucifer was not a simple alchemist's crude attempt at creating life. She could only hope his connection to her nephew was weak enough that the spell worked.

"Matt!" called Paige.

Lucifer flicked his head to one side, and Matt was lifted into the air. He waved his hand, and the brown-haired witch shimmered, vanishing.

"NO!" cried Michael.

He charged Lucifer, covered in dark blood. His one arm flopped uselessly against him. The pain narrowed his vision, but he persevered. In his one good hand, he held a piece of jagged metal, the only weapon available to him. Lucifer spun around to meet him, but Michael ducked under the punch. He drove the metal into Lucifer's chest, right above the black void. He grinned in triumph. The white eyes dissolved into bright blue.

"Mike," gasped Zach.

"Zach?"

Zach grinned. "Think again. You will do nicely."

Michael backpedaled, hearing the screams from his family. He knew it was too late. He felt the sharp stab of pain below his diaphragm and looked down. Lucifer's arm was inside of him. He opened his mouth in shock. Life faded from his eyes.

"Host soul reject the poison essence, let love's light end this cruel possession," said Phoebe shakily.

Lucifer laughed. "That spell will not work on me, stupid witch!"

Richard stood frozen, staring at his brother's lifeless body. Paige shook him gently. "Rick, we need to say the spell."

Lucifer held up the heart he had ripped out of Michael. "Kardia tou echthrou na ferei sto proskinio ti zoi kai to soma."

The five runes carved into the ground behind Lucifer flared to life. A roar and rushing sound spilled out through the room. Light and color streamed out from around the room and coalesced in the center of the five runes, growing brighter until the multi-colored orb exploded. A wave of heat and wind washed over the occupants of the room, separating the three living witches. Lucifer stood firm in the growing storm. Pieces of his skin flecked off, revealing rotting flesh.

"Kardia tou echthrou na ferei sto proskinio ti zoi kai to soma," he repeated loudly.

The ground beneath his feet cracked. The crack grew quickly, spreading from one end of the room to the other. Only in his moment of glory did Lucifer notice his mistake. One of the runes was damaged by the exertion of power. The heart in his hand crumbled into nothing. Two figures rose up in the place the colored orb had formed.

"BE GONE!" commanded the one figure with blazing blue eyes.

Lucifer felt the power hit him. He resisted it as he had the explosion. His smile grew larger as he glared at the new comer. "You will have to do better than that, Anakin."

Anakin chuckled, keeping his bravado. "Look behind you."

Lucifer glanced over his shoulder. That is if he still had shoulders. The limp body of Zachary Halliwell lay on the floor behind him. Color was returning to the witch's skin. The black veins had already vanished. The black void over the scar sputtered out of existence, leaving behind smooth new skin.

"Impossible," whispered Lucifer.

Anakin squared his shoulders. "I'd have thought by now you'd know nothing is impossible for my family."

Lucifer raised a non-existent hand. "My body…"

Anakin kicked the lump of flesh, sinew, and bones beside him. "Sorry, I guess you didn't have enough power to pull it off."

Lucifer glowered. "You failed to kill me before. You lack the motivation to try again." He vanished along with Zach's body and the pile of flesh.

Anakin threw his head back and pulled at his hair. "SHIT!"

Gathering his thoughts together, he crouched down beside Michael's body. "I'm so sorry, Michael."

He touched the body and it turned to ash. His hand glowed briefly along with his eyes, which turned gold. He then turned to face the crumpled body of Rahab. Grimly he turned her over.

"You," she choked out.

Anakin raised his hand, conjuring a fire ball. "This is all your fault."

Rahab laughed manically, spitting up blood. "Too slow, witch." She flamed out, but not before Anakin managed to touch her shoulder.

"I hope that works."

The world's colors inverted for a brief moment. A stern-faced man with massive black wings appeared next to Anakin. "So do I. Go save your family. Gather them. You're going to need them."

With the forbidding certainty he was famous for Uriel left Anakin alone in the same place he had saved the witch's soul so many years ago. The battle for the fate of the universe had finally begun.

AN: What did you think? You have all been very kind and encouring through out this whole journey, and I love you all. I have had this story floating around in the back of my mind for years, and it was a huge relief to finally put it out into the world. Believe it or not it was this plot that made me write the two previous stories. Those stories then turned into something more than just backstory. I do hope you enjoyed the story as much I as I did writing it. I also hope you will return for the sequel and conclusion to the whole Charmed saga. I will be taking a short break between this story and the next. I may add a few chapters to the Short Stories, so be on the look out for those short scenes. Until next time!

PS: Reviews are always welcome ;)