A/N: So this is it, the final of my two part end chapter. I hope you like it and it leaves you satisfied, tell me what you think.
Chapter 27: The end Part 1
They reformed in the underworld, the heat hitting them instantly. It was like a tidal wave of unbearable sticky heat, crashing over them making it hard to breathe properly under the earth. It was a dimly lit area that they found themselves in, no torches lined the wall as and all around them shadows lingered in the corners. The only large source of light coming to illuminate the area was a small fire pit in the middle of the room. The floor was the usual rocky sand which crunched in a snow like way.
The others quickly took the area in with them, immediately cataloguing every nook and cranny they found in the area. But Scarlett did nothing, only standing still. She had been here before, in her dreams. Each time, having to walk down the long winding corridor where the final act would take centre stage.
"Scar" Chris said breaking her from her thoughts
"We should keep moving before someone notices we're here" She said quickly not looking at Chris directly. She knew that if she did it would free her emotions more than they already were.
"Agreed" Wyatt said walking slightly ahead of the group down the passage way that she had travelled down so many times before in her dreams.
Nothing ha changed from he dreams as they walked down the familiar route, only the sounds had altered. Where once there was nought but silence and the occasional rock falling form the cave wall, now the cries and jeers of a demon army began to build into an awful crescendo of noise.
"What's that up there" Paige whispered pointing ahead of them, No one answered and Scarlett wracked her brains for the answer but came up blank. Nothing from her dream indicated anything in this passageway as being noteworthy besides a few interesting rock formations. Clearly this was a new addition.
They neared it and she filled her palm with flames, bright enough for them to see but dim enough to not draw attention to the group. She moved her hand to the direction Paige had pointed out.
Bianca was as pretty and as dangerous looking in death as she was in life. She was tied spread eagle onto two large rusting hooks on the cave wall. Her face was beaten and bloody, she didn't move even as they neared her. Bianca wasn't a demon, and therefore her body wouldn't turn to ashes once she had been killed. Making her the perfect example to set.
"They killed her" Chris breathed looking at the woman who had come so close to breaking apart his world. Scarlett looked at her and tried to muster up a feeling of pity or sympathy for the girl. She was a mercenary by trade; therefore she would join the highest bidder. But she just couldn't find it in herself to feel anything but relief and hatred for the Phoenix witch that lay before them. Chris may feel bad for her, he knew her better than anyone, but as far as Scarlett was concerned it was one less body to deal with when it came down to it.
"Come on, before someone sees us" She urged them on, quelling the flames in her hand. They were plunged back into semi-darkness as they continued on, Chris looking back every now and then. Scarlett wanted to tell him to focus but with the noise reaching its apex she feared that if she did, the army they were to face would come rushing out to meet them head on; on their terms
The darkness of the tunnel ended as a small sliver of light was seen, the other entrance to the passageway was unblocked. They each crept as silently as they could to the opening and slipped by, rushing to hide behind a large rock formation in the corner. Not that making noise would alert any of the gathered forces before them.
They were too transfixed on the pair standing on a slightly raised platform. Hundreds upon hundreds of demons were standing, roaring their agreement to whatever bull the duo were spouting ahead of them. Scarlett peeked out and felt her heart plummet, they had been prepared for a few demons, but this? This was an army and they were merely a group. How could they possibly stand against them?
"We seemed to be outnumbered" Wyatt said cracking his hands
"Just a little" Paige said faintly
"It doesn't matter, we're here now. No turning back now. We end this once and for all, now I think we get their attention" Piper suggested
"How…there' too much noise for us to-" Chris began before Piper whirled out of hiding and raised her hands and in a quick flick of her wrists, a chanting demon was vanquished exploding into ash before the assembled army.
"We too late for the party" She asked when every demon turned to her, some with fear and some with bloodlust.
"That works" Wyatt said standing beside his mum arms raised and ready, Excalibur glinting at his side.
"Kill them" Voldemort said in a soft voice that echoed around the cave. In a rising climax of noise, they charged.
Scarlet was soon separated by a swarm of demonic bodies. She couldn't see anything but the flash of energy balls around her. She pooled flames into her palms and thrust out, hitting two demons in their fleshy stomachs, as they fell away screaming and trying to pat the flames out. She turned quickly ignoring their cries in favour of facing the new demons that had decided to face her.
"Witch" One of them growled
"Ugly face" She answered and when he hissed she sent a chunk of rock at him, he cried out in pain before an energy ball grazed her raised arm, she cried out as the artificial flame ate into her arm.
She stumbled to the floor and looked up; the demon smirked at her and lit another energy ball in his palm. He took a step forward but she stilled her erratic breathing and rolled backwards, groaning as the pressure on her neck made her head pound.
She stood on her fee, a little unsteady at first but then she stilled and faced her attacker. At first it seemed as though he would say something to her. Something stupid and ridiculously clichéd, something that would provoke a deep rooted feral anger inside of her allowing her to summon up the needed strength to vanquish him.
Instead he simply threw an energy ball at her, no words needed. No asinine comments about her were said, only the most basic of communications. Attack.
She pushed out her palms and a gust of wind blew the ball back to him, it dangerously flickering dimmer. But it held on, using whatever demonic magic they had and connected with his chest. In an instant he was gone and a mere dust pile at her feet. She turned and headed back into the fray.
She didn't emerge from her routine until she felt a pulse of magic near her face. She looked up, panting and came face to face with a shimmering wall of some sort. She traced it upwards, the wall curving as it neared the roof. She let her eyes fall from tracing the shape and instead chose to look into the dome shaped magical wall.
It was transparent but every now and then a swirling shape would slide up the shape and into it's apex on the roof. She looked into it and snarled a little when she saw the duo staring impassively at the battle that currently raged on in front of them. She began to walk further until she hit the steps which had been carved into the raised platform. She looked up and started to walk up them slowly, behind her she could someone calling her name, maybe all of the Halliwells. She didn't know how many demons where left or if they were gone or even if they had been killed. All she could focus on and hear in her ears was the sound of her heart pounding and blood rushing around.
She reached the barrier again about halfway up the stairs and for a moment she hesitated, but tentatively reached out her palm to rest on the edge. It rippled around her touch, much like water but nothing happened. She pushed onto her palm to test it out but again nothing happened. She dropped her hand away and stepped through, slowly placing her foot down on the other side of the dome.
When nothing happened to her again she stepped fully though, a feeling of passing under cold water erupted over her body. She shivered but moved towards the duo who watched her, one with a smirk on his lipless mouth and the other impassively, his face hidden away by a shadowy cloak hood.
"SCAR!" A voice behind her shouted, she turned her back and watched the ripples reform as Chris ran through the dome, intent on reaching her.
"Chris" She said rushing to meet him, she collided with him but neither fell. He hugged her tight, regardless of the duo in front of them.
"What's happening" Paige shouted from behind the dome as it began to pulse, sending more and more spiral patterns upwards
"Merely our wards asserting no unwanted guests intrude upon us" Voldemort hissed at her. Scarlett turned and saw the rest of the Halliwell family stood behind the wall, all of them on edge. The rest of the demonic army stood still, afraid to move as their leaders began to walk closer to the pair stood next to the stairs.
"How pleasant, you truly believed you would stand victorious today didn't you?" Voldemort asked
"Tom" The source warned and he again flinched
"Fine" He hissed, before smiling again though it was cold and without warmth "Kill him" He said to her, his bony finger extended towards Chris
"No "She said firmly, but even as she said it she could feel her muscle twitch
"Kill him now" He ordered her
"I. Said. No" She hissed out, but soon her muscled began to hob and when she could stand it no more, her arm began to raise itself form her said and point at Chris "No no no no" She whispered, fighting it harder than she had in her dream
"Kill him now, and become who you are in your soul" He hissed at her, hi red eyes glinting at her hungrily
She fought harder than ever to resist the movement, to resist the action she knew as coming next.
But like in her dreams he cold feel the familiar tingling of magic pooling in her fingertips as a flicker of flame began to grow in her fist.
"Scar…No" Chris said looking at her and she choked out a sob and tried harder.
And then something shifted in her head, something she didn't remember form her ream. Something else was helping her, two forces residing whatever Voldemort was doing to make her kill her husband.
"What's happening?" Phoebe cried
"I don't know" Chris cried back looking at Scar worriedly
"I. Wont. Do. It!" She hissed at the snake-like man. She pushed wit everything she had, and the adjoining force in her head helped.
Pain erupted across her forehead and she felt heavy. She began to sway her arm still extended but no flames encased in her palm. Her eyes shut tight as a ringing began in her ears. Then in a crescendo of pain, everything turned white as a thousand knives scarped her skin and her bones seemed to turn to broken glass inside of her body.
Soon, it all faded to black.
To be continued…..