Chapter 9: Daza' multple attack
The Halliwell Manor buzzed with activity as the family gathered for an important discussion. With Patricia and Grams now fully adjusted to their lives as if they had never died, the focus shifted to how they could protect the family amidst the growing threats.
Grams stood at the head of the living room, her commanding presence filling the space. "We've always known that being a Halliwell means being a target," she began, her voice steady. "And now, with the Book of Shadows gone, we need to be proactive about protecting the next generation."
Patricia nodded in agreement. "The children need more than just their parents watching over them. They need to be in a place where magic is not only protected but nurtured."
Piper raised an eyebrow. "You're suggesting Magic School?"
"Exactly," Grams said. "Leo has already done so much to rebuild it. With the Elders officially handing him the reins, it's the safest place for the children. And with a magical door connecting the manor to the school, you'll always be able to reach them in an instant."
Phoebe exchanged a look with Piper before nodding. "It makes sense. If the kids are at Magic School, we won't have to worry as much about them being caught in the crossfire while we figure out what's going on."
Leo, who had been quiet, spoke up. "I'll make sure they're settled and safe. And I'll be there every day to oversee it.
Piper sighed, her protective instincts warring with her logical mind. "Fine. But I'm trusting you, Coop,Henry and Leo, to keep them safe."
Coop's Summons
As the family continued discussing logistics, Coop suddenly clutched his chest, a faint red glow emanating from his cupid ring.
Phoebe noticed immediately. "Coop? What's wrong?"
"I'm being summoned," he said, his tone grim. "By my superiors."
"What could they want now?" Phoebe asked, worry creeping into her voice.
"I don't know, but it can't be good." Coop kissed Phoebe's hand. "I'll find out and come back as soon as I can." He vanished in a swirl of red as he beam out.
The Council of Cupids
Coop reappeared in a grand hall bathed in soft pink light, where the Council of Cupids awaited him. The Head Cupid, an imposing figure with an aura of authority, stepped forward.
"Coop, we've summoned you regarding your daughters," the Head Cupid said.
"My daughters?" Coop asked, alarmed. "What's wrong with them?"
The Head Cupid's expression was grim. "Their cupid powers. We've been monitoring the balance of love magic in the mortal world, and we've noticed… disturbances. Strong forces in the Underworld are actively trying to exploit cupid magic, and your daughters' untrained abilities make them vulnerable to manipulation." beside your daughter's is the first Hybrid of Cupid- Witch, and a child of a charmed one, that make them high target.
Coop's heart sank. "Manipulation? What do you mean?"
"There are whispers of a demon sect rising, one that seeks to corrupt cupid powers for their own gain. If your daughters' abilities fall into the wrong hands, it could tip the balance of love and hate across realms."
Coop clenched his fists. "So what do you want to do?"
The Head Cupid hesitated before delivering the verdict. "We've decided to bind their cupid powers temporarily. This will keep them off the radar of those who would seek to exploit them."
"Bind their powers?" Coop exclaimed, his voice filled with both disbelief and anger. "You can't just take away a part of who they are!"
"This is not a punishment, Coop," another member of the council interjected. "It's a precaution. The binding can be reversed when the threat is neutralized."
Coop shook his head, conflicted. "I need to talk to my wife about this. This isn't just my decision."
The Head Cupid nodded. "You have until the next full moon to decide. After that, we will act to ensure their safety, with or without your consent."
Coop felt a pit in his stomach as he beam back home.
Daza's Return
Meanwhile, in the Underworld, Daza seethed over his failure to destroy the Halliwells. His earlier attack had not only been thwarted but had inadvertently resurrected Patricia and Grams, further complicating his plans.
"I underestimated them," Daza growled, his fiery eyes blazing. "But not this time." I will get what i want, no collection of mine escape me. Prue Halliwell i will find you.
He raised his jagged staff, channeling dark energy. A vision of the Halliwell Manor appeared before him. "I'll strike at their hearts again. This time, they won't escape."
The Attack
Back at the manor, as the family finalized their plans, a sudden chill filled the air. The chandelier trembled, and a dark energy swirled in the living room.
Piper jumped to her feet. "Oh no. Not again."
With a deafening roar, Daza materialized, his staff glowing with malevolent power. "Did you think I'd let you send your little brats away so easily?"
The family scrambled into defensive positions. Piper blasted at Daza, but he absorbed the energy with his staff, laughing. "You'll have to do better than that, Charmed Ones."
Phoebe lunged forward, channeling her empathy to tap into Daza's rage, but the demon deflected her power, sending her crashing into the wall.
Paige orbed a chair at Daza's head, but he shattered it mid-air. "You're nothing without your precious book," he sneered
Seeing an opening, Patricia and Grams stepped forward. Grams chanted an incantation, her hands glowing with magical energy. Patricia joined in, their combined magic creating a vortex that began to pull Daza toward it.
"This isn't over!" Daza screamed as he was sucked into the vortex, his form disappearing into the void.
The room fell silent, the air heavy with the aftermath of the battle.
Aftermath
Grams dusted herself off. "That was too close. We need to move quickly. Patricia nodded. "And we need to find a way to restore the Book of Shadows.
Sam, send word to my old whitelighter. We'll need all the help we can get."Penny said.
As the family regrouped, Phoebe stood to the side, her mind racing.
Her premonition. The news about Prue. Paige's mission. Coop's dilemma. "It's all connected," she murmured.
"What was that?" Piper asked.
Phoebe looked up, determination in her eyes. "We need to start connecting the dots. Something bigger is happening, and we need to figure out what it is before it's too late."
With the decision made to send the Halliwell children to Magic School, the manor was quieter than it had been in years. Patricia, Grams, Leo, Coop, and Sam had taken the children to the school earlier that morning. Wyatt, Chris, Melinda, and the rest of the children were now safely under Leo's care, learning how to hone their powers in a protected environment.
Piper, Phoebe, and Grams remained at the manor to plan their next steps.
Daza Strikes Again
The manor felt eerily calm as the three women sat in the living room. Piper was going over magical notes, Phoebe was trying to piece together the threads of her premonition and the strange news about Prue, and Grams was deep in thought about the missing Book of Shadows.
Suddenly, a deafening crack of energy shattered the tranquility. The chandelier trembled violently, and the air filled with a chilling darkness.
Piper shot to her feet. "Not again!"
From a swirling vortex of shadow, Daza emerged, his red eyes blazing with fury. His jagged staff crackled with dark energy.
Grams stepped forward, her commanding presence undiminished. "You will not harm my granddaughters, demon."
Daza laughed, his voice dripping with mockery. "You? A ghost reborn? What can you possibly do?"
Piper raised her hands, ready to attack. "Why don't you stick around and find out?" She unleashed a powerful blast, but Daza deflected it effortlessly with his staff, sending a shockwave through the room that knocked over furniture and shattered picture frames.
Phoebe focused, channeling her empathy to tap into Daza's rage, but his power was too overwhelming. He retaliated with a wave of dark energy that sent her crashing into the wall.
Grams quickly raised her hands, chanting an incantation to weaken him, but Daza struck back, cutting off her spell.
"Pathetic," Daza growled, advancing toward the trio.
Patricia Joins the Battle
Before Daza could unleash another attack, Patricia came into the room, her presence glowing with maternal strength.
"Get away from my daughters!" she commanded, her voice echoing with power.
Daza turned to face her, his expression briefly surprised. "You too? How many times do I have to kill the Halliwell matriarchs before you stay dead?"
Patricia ignored his taunt, joining her mother and daughters in forming a protective circle.
"Together!" Grams shouted.
The four Halliwell women began chanting a powerful spell, their voices harmonizing in a rhythm that sent waves of magic through the room.
"By the power of the matriarch's line,
Strength and spirit now combine.
Darkness cease and light reclaim,
Evil's power we now restrain!"
A surge of golden light erupted from their joined hands, encircling Daza. The demon roared in fury as the light engulfed him, his dark energy crackling in resistance but ultimately yielding to the spell.
Daza fell to his knees, his staff clattering to the floor. His movements became sluggish as the spell took hold, paralyzing his power.
"This isn't over," Daza hissed, his voice trembling with rage. "You can't stop what's coming."
"Maybe not," Patricia said firmly, "but we can stop you, at least for now."
Aftermath
Daza vanished in a swirl of dark energy, retreating to the Underworld. The room fell silent, the air thick with the aftermath of the battle.
Phoebe leaned against the wall, catching her breath. "Okay. That was too close."
Piper inspected the damage to the room, her frustration evident. "He's getting stronger. We need a plan before he comes back."
Grams adjusted her dress, her composure intact. "We'll figure it out, but for now, we've bought ourselves some time."
Patricia placed a reassuring hand on her daughter's shoulder. "We're stronger together. And we'll need every bit of that strength to face what's coming."
A Call for Help
Later that evening, Sam returned to the manor after delivering the children safely to Magic School. Grams approached him with a determined expression.
"Sam," she said, "I need you to contact my old whitelighter. We need his help to restore the Book of Shadows. If anyone knows how to recreate a magical tome of that magnitude, it's him."
Sam nodded. "I'll do it right away."
Coop's Decision
Meanwhile, Coop returned to the manor, his expression somber. Phoebe immediately sensed his unease.
"What did they say?" she asked gently.
Coop sighed, running a hand through his hair. "They want to bind our daughters' cupid powers. Temporarily, they say. They're worried about demons targeting their magic."
Phoebe's eyes widened. "Bind their powers? Coop, that's a huge decision. Have they ever done something like this before?"
"Rarely," Coop admitted. "But they claim it's for their safety. They've given me until the next full moon to decide."
Phoebe placed a hand on his arm. "We'll figure this out together. We're not letting anyone make decisions for our girls without a fight."
Connecting the Dots
Later that night, as Piper and Patricia cleaned up the remnants of the battle, Phoebe sat in the conservatory, piecing together her thoughts.
Her premonition. The news about Prue. Paige's mysterious mission. The children's growing powers. Coop's dilemma.
"It's all connected," she whispered, staring out at the darkened sky. "But how?"
As if on cue, the magical door connecting the manor to Magic School shimmered. Phoebe turned, her mind racing with possibilities.