Origins

[noazmale]

EIGHTEEN

Damonculous moved on the Elder confident in his victory. Piper lay on the floor unconscious. Prue and Phoebe were little more than helpless mortals, their potions having proved more of an annoyance than a hindrance. Cole was busy defending himself against the attacks of two warlocks unable to assist any of them. Leo still faced off against the warlock he was fighting. And the Elder was as helpless as the rest of them. Within moments the battle would be over and Damonculous would have his prize.

Suddenly seven figures shimmered into the living room at various positions. Cole glanced up only for an instant, recognizing Caprick and the demons that lived in exile with him. The demons wasted no time. Seven energy balls suddenly struck the remaining warlocks vanquishing them where they stood.

Startled by this turn of events, Damonculous stopped his advance. He glanced behind him to see an eighth demon almost cowering in the entryway. This demon was barely three feet tall and it was clear it was no match for anyone in the room. Damonculous turned his attention back to the intruders who had just appeared.

The demons quickly moved positions. Three demons took positions beside Prue, Phoebe, and Leo. Another two moved over and took up positions next to Percy. Caprick looked around the room and smiled, the seventh demon standing next to him.

“Really, Belthazor,” said Caprick, “did you think I would be fooled by your little fairy tale? It was clear to me from the beginning that the Charmed Ones were powerless. That’s why you came to me. And did you really think I would pass up such a golden opportunity? To rid us of these accursed witched? And an Elder to boot? How could you not know such an opportunity was too rich to pass up?”

“Caprick, what are you doing?” Cole asked. “We had a bargain.”

“I am altering that bargain,” said Caprick. He turned toward Damonculous. “I am Caprick. You must be this Damonculous I’ve heard so much about.”

“You are demon,” Damonculous said.

“That’s right,” said Caprick. “Actually, I’m an outcast demon. All of us are. It seems we had the misfortune of displeasing our masters at one time or other. And most of them were such minor infractions. But the demon hierarchy is so petty about such things. Most do not realize that there are simply times when you have no control over what happens.”

“You vanquished my servants,” said Damonculous.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” said Caprick. “But you really can’t trust warlocks. They’d turn on you the first chance they got. All their interested in is gaining more and more power. If they saw the chance to get yours, trust me, they wouldn’t have hesitated.”

“What is it you wish?” Damonculous asked.

“Well,” said Caprick, glancing over at Cole, “we’re in a position to help each other. You need new servants. And I’m willing to bet the rewards are pretty hefty. Something we demons are quite familiar with. We, on the other hand, have no loyalty to the underworld. We can’t go back there without getting ourselves killed. And if you’re as strong as I think you are, you’ll have no trouble defeating the Source and taking over down there.”

“And you wish to join me,” Damonculous said.

“Exactly,” said Caprick. “They can all tell you that demons usually side with whomever is the strongest. We like to be on the winning side. Up until now there wasn’t much we could do. The underworld wants us dead and there’s no way the Charmed Ones or any witches would trust us. So we have to hide out on the mortal plane, jumping at every little sound.

“You can change all that. We join you and become your new servants. You rid us of our enemies and those who want us dead. Once you take over we get to rule alongside you. You’re in charge, of course. But no one, no matter how powerful they are, can physically control everyone. You’re going to need help. We’ll be that help.”

“The memories I have usurped tell me that demons are not to be trusted,” said Damonculous. “Just as with the warlocks, if you see the opportunity to strike me down and take my place, you won’t hesitate. As I understand it, that is the way in the underworld.”

“True enough,” said Caprick. “But those memories should also tell you that demons only serve those stronger than ourselves. As long as you are stronger you will have nothing to fear from us. Take the Source for example. Demons have been serving him for about five hundred years. That’s because there’s no one strong enough to oppose him. If you defeat him it will prove you are stronger than he is. And defeating the Charmed Ones also proves how powerful you are. There’s not a demon in the underworld that would challenge you after all that.”

“Caprick, you traitor,” snarled Cole. “I should have known better than to trust you. Remember my threat? Don’t sleep too heavily. One day you’re going to wake up and I’ll be there. Count on it.”

Caprick glanced at Cole and smiled. Then he turned back to Damonculous.

“So, what do you say?” Caprick asked. “Unlike the warlocks our loyalty to our masters is well known. Your memories should tell you that as well. If you’re as powerful as you claim, you should have no problem controlling anyone who serves you.”

“I will need the Elder,” said Damonculous. “His power will allow me to accomplish my goals.”

“He’s all yours,” said Caprick. “There’s no love lost between demons and Elders. It will be a pleasure to watch you destroy him.”

“Very well,” said Damonculous. “It seems the warlocks were not as powerful as I first thought. You will make much better servants. And in return you will be rewarded with great power.”

“That’s what we’re after,” said Caprick. “What about the others? What do you plan to do with them?”

“The witches are of no concern to me,” said Damonculous. “You may do with them as you please. The White Lighter may serve my purposes. While his power is less than that of the Elder, it will only serve to strengthen me. As for the demon,” he looked at Cole. “He must be removed. I will not tolerate those who oppose me.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Caprick. “But give us the pleasure of taking care of Belthazor. I was always a better demon than he was. But because of my place in the hierarchy I was forced to serve him when his whim dictated. It will be a pleasure to dispose of him. And he can die knowing that his precious witch and her sisters are next.”

“Do as you wish,” said Damonculous, turning to face the Elder again. “My goal is the Elder. I care not what you do with the others.”

“Belthazor, it’s been a pleasure,” said Caprick, forming an energy ball.

The other six demons in the living room also formed energy balls. They all turned to face Cole. Prue, Phoebe, Leo, and Percy knew that not even Cole could withstand so great an attack all at once. Just as Prue had said, you can’t trust demons. Now they would all pay for that trust. And they all knew that the Elder Council, and all of humanity, would soon follow.

[noazmale]

NINETEEN

Damonculous started to move toward the Elder knowing that nothing could stop him. Suddenly he arched his back and cried out in pain. He spun to find the three-foot demon directly behind him. An athame stuck out of Damonculous’ back where the demon had stuck it. Without hesitation the small demon suddenly vanished.

The seven demons in the living room didn’t wait. As Damonculous turned they all cast their energy balls at him in unison. The force of the attacks knocked Damonculous back into the entryway, knocking him to the floor. The three-foot demon suddenly appeared behind Cole.

Damonculous tried to rise, forming a fireball. The demons again fired their energy balls at him, striking him and forcing him even farther back. In addition, Cole cast an energy ball of his own which appeared to do some serious damage to Damonculous. Realizing he had been betrayed, Damonculous howled in anger and shimmer-orbed out of the manor.

“What just happened?” Prue asked as the demons turned to face them all.

“I believe the term is, we saved your butts,” said Caprick, smiling at her.

“Wait a minute,” said Leo. “What about all that talk about serving a more powerful being and vanquishing your enemies and all?”

“We had to let Lotack get into position,” said Caprick, indicating the three-foot demon. “I had to buy us some time. Lotack appears to be such an insignificant creature that more powerful creatures have a tendency to overlook him. We were counting on that with this Damonculous. But you were right, Belthazor. He is very powerful. Any other creature would have been vanquished from our attacks. I think you’ll still have cause to worry about him.”

“I know,” said Cole. “But you came through when we needed you. I won’t forget it.”

“Don’t forget our bargain,” said Caprick. “Once you have defeated Damonculous you agreed to dispose of Por for us. With him out of the way we’ll be able to return to the underworld.”

“We won’t forget,” said Cole. “First we’ll deal with Damonculous. Then we’ll vanquish Por for you. You have my word.”

“The word of Belthazor has always been good enough for me,” said Caprick. “Charmed Ones, under other circumstances I might take advantage of the situation. But I can see that we have no chance against this Damonculous. Your strength is well known. I shall leave him to your care. And hope you are able to stop him.”

“We’ll do our best,” said Prue still a bit confused.

Caprick and the other demons suddenly shimmered and vanished from the manor. Everyone immediately moved to see if Piper was all right. She still lay on the floor unconscious. As Prue reached down to pick her sister up, she received the same electrical shock Phoebe had earlier.

“What was that?” Prue asked as Cole and Leo picked Piper up and laid her on the sofa.

“She’s okay,” Leo announced, checking her pulse. “I think she’s just unconscious.”

“Good,” said Phoebe. “I was afraid Damonculous had killed her.”

“That shock must be your powers trying to reassert themselves,” said Percy. “Unfortunately the blocking Damonculous has placed on good magic is creating a sort of feedback, effectively shorting out your powers and producing that obviously unpleasant affect.”

“Wait a minute,” said Phoebe. “I thought you said we didn’t have our powers any more.”

“No,” said Percy, “I said they were blocked. You still have your powers. The blocking makes them unavailable to you, that’s all.”

“Sounds kind of like a car battery,” said Cole. “It may be fully charged but without the battery cables hooked up all that power is useless.”

“A car battery?” questioned Piper. “Prue, take care of Piper. I have an idea. I’ll be right back.”

Phoebe turned and headed for the stairs running up them as quickly as she could.

“Rather impetuous, isn’t she?” Percy commented, watching her sprint up the stairs.

“She always was,” said Prue. “And I hate to admit it but sometimes it actually seems to work for her. It’s always been a point of contention between us. I’m more the methodical one. A place for everything and everything in its place. Phoebe flies by the seat of her pants most of the time.”

“The seat of her pants?” Percy questioned.

“A human term,” said Leo. “It means she usually reacts often without thinking about the consequences of her actions. But Prue is right. It does seem to work for her.”

“Oh, what happened?” questioned Piper, sitting up on the sofa.

“Just take it easy, sweetie,” said Prue. “You took a rather nasty jolt. But you seem to be okay.”

“Speak for yourself,” said Piper, rubbing her head. “There’s a guy with a jackhammer going off in my brain. I could use a couple dozen aspirin.”

“Coming right up,” said Prue, heading for the kitchen.

“So what happened?” Piper asked. “I’m still alive and so are the rest of you. I’m assuming we stopped Damonculous.”

“Actually,” said Leo, “some of Cole’s demonic friends stopped him.”

“Not friends exactly,” said Cole. “Let’s say more like colleagues. But they did come through for us.”

“Just what occurred after I was battered unconscious?” Piper asked.

The others told her all that had transpired after the demons had shimmered into the manor. She listened in amazement as they explained how the demons had forced Damonculous to retreat from the manor serious injured.

“Whoa,” said Piper. “I never thought I’d be glad to see demons in the house.”

“Well, once we defeat Damonculous,” said Cole, “There’s Por to take care of. He shouldn’t be a problem though.”

“Got it,” said Phoebe, coming down the stairs carrying the Book of Shadows. “I think I know how to get our powers back. If it works we should be at full strength again. That should help the next time he attacks.”

“How do we do that?” Prue asked, handing Piper the aspirin bottle.

“Very simply,” said Prue. “The same way we got our powers in the first place.”

She opened the Book of Shadows to the very first page.

“We read the incantation that unbound out powers to begin with,” said Phoebe. “If I’m right that should provide just the jolt we need to overcome this blocking and free us from it.”

“I’m not needed for that,” said Cole. “And I have a little errand of my own to run.”

“What is it?” Leo asked.

“Something that occurred to me before our friends showed up,” Cole said. “I need to go see someone. I won’t be gone long.”

“What about your injuries?” Phoebe asked. “Piper isn’t the only one who took a pounding back there. You took the brunt of it from those warlocks.”

“I’ll be fine,” said Cole. “Besides, there’s nothing any of you can do about it right now anyway. I’ll be back very soon.”

Cole smiled at the group and shimmered out of the manor as Prue, Piper, and Phoebe prepared the spell that had started their lives as Charmed Ones.

[noazmale]

TWENTY

Damonculous pulled the athame out of his back and cast the offending weapon aside. Almost instantly the wound healed itself. The dagger couldn’t kill him. Not even the attacks by the demons could kill him. But it forced him to expend his energy to protect himself. Energy he needed to keep the blocking in place.

He couldn’t afford to let that blocking fall for even an instant. If he did the Elders would be able to put up a protective shield that would prevent their powers from being blocked. Only the one Elder with the Charmed Ones knew what was going on. The others would be busily trying to figure it out.

But they resided on some other plane. Neither the memories he had taken from the demon nor the warlocks that had joined him knew where the Elders were. And the memories he had taken from the White Lighter during his first attack seemed to be lacking that information. There was only the single Elder at the manor currently on the mortal plane. He needed that Elders’ power to block all magic and prevent anyone, demon or otherwise, from opposing him. And to gain the knowledge of where the rest of the Elders resided.

He cursed the demons at the manor. How could he have been so foolish? Thinking they would willingly join him. Now, the warlocks were vanquished and the Elder was still protected. Not to mention that Belthazor would quickly recover from the attack and be ready to stand between him and the Elder.

His path was clear. He wouldn’t be able to go after the Elder until the demon was out of the way. But with the power he was expending on the blocking he wasn’t strong enough to face Belthazor alone. He needed something that would provide him an advantage over the demon.

The Charmed Ones were the key, he realized. While they didn’t have access to their powers, they still had their magic. And according to Persius, that magic was considerable. It might even rival that of the Gray Council itself. If he had that power not even Belthazor could stand against him. And with Belthazor out of the way there was no one to stand between him and the Elder.

He would have to change his tactics. First, he would need to get the witches’ powers. That should be easy enough. The next time he showed up at the manor they would be expecting him to attack the Elder. The witches would practically offer to let him drain them. He would have the first one before any of them knew what was going on.

If they were as powerful as everyone seemed to think they were they should provide quite a boost for him. Once he had all three of their power he would face the demon. It should be an easy matter then to vanquish Belthazor. Then the only one standing between him and the Elder would be gone.

Damonculous smiled. He would rest for a time. Rebuild the strength and power he had expended in that useless fight. When he was rested, he would return to the manor and the beginning of the end for humanity would start.

* * *

Cole looked around the small house he had shimmered into. It was a modest house. Nothing at all like the manor Phoebe and her sisters lived in. But then the single occupant of this house preferred to remain anonymous, not drawing any attention to themselves. This was the type of house most people didn’t give a second look at as they drove past it.

The house appeared to be empty at the moment. But like the warehouse where Caprick and his demons lived, appearances could be deceiving. It was dark out and there were no lights on inside the house, save for the glow of a clock on a desk in the living room. The occupant of this house would be about, Cole knew that.

“You’re taking a grave risk shimmering in here like that,” said a feminine voice behind him. “You must be either very brave or very stupid.”

“Neither,” said Cole turning around. “Call it a matter of necessity. Besides, you’re not a threat to me. Are you, Angelique?”

“Cole Turner?” questioned the woman. She reached over and flipped a switch on the wall and an overhead light sprung to life. “Why, so it is. I heard you had been vanquished.”

The woman appeared to be about thirty. She was dressed in a form-fitting black dress that accentuated her figure nicely. Her blonde hair hung to her waist and was braided down her back. She laid an athame she had been holding on a table near the door.

“The reports of my vanquishment have been greatly exaggerated,” said Cole, smiling, “to coin a phrase.”

“It’s been a long time, Cole,” said the woman, moving up to him. “What has it been? Two years? No, more like two and a half. The last time we talked you were preparing for a very special assignment. The Charmed Ones, if I’m not mistaken.”

“That’s right,” said Cole. “A lot has happened since then. A whole lot.”

“So I’ve heard,” said Angelique. “They say you betrayed the Source and vanquished the Triad. All three at the same time. That’s quite a feat, even for a demon of your status.”

“Self-preservation,” said Cole. “They were going to vanquish me. I didn’t see I had any other choice.”

“You could have completed your assignment,” said Angelique. “You could have killed the witch and her sisters.”

“I couldn’t do that,” said Cole. “I love her. I couldn’t have killed her any more than you could have used that athame on me.”

“Belthazor in love,” said Angelique. “Who would have thought such a thing was possible? I suppose it was bound to happen eventually. That pesky human half of yours. It was bound to get you into trouble sooner or later.”

“I suppose you’re right,” said Cole, smiling.

“So, this love for the witch,” said Angelique. “Is it serious?”

“We’re planning to get married,” said Cole.

“Married?” questioned Angelique. “Cole Turner a family man? Now I’ve heard it all. I suppose next you’ll be telling me you’re planning a family. The little white picket fence and all.”

“We haven’t gotten that far yet,” said Cole. “I still have the matter of the bounty on my head and the Source to deal with first.”

“Is that why you’re here?” Angelique asked. “You have some elaborate scheme designed to get the Source off your back? And you want me to help you with it?”

“Not, not the Source,” said Cole. “But I do need your help. I’m sure you’ve heard there’s a new power around.”

“I’ve heard rumors,” said Angelique. “Whatever it is is supposed to be pretty powerful. Someone who could even rival the Source, if my information is correct.”

“More correct than you know,” said Cole. “Actually, it’s someone very ancient. He’s powerful and he’s dangerous. If he isn’t stopped, no one is going to be safe. Not even someone like you.”

“Me?” questioned Angelique. “If this person is that powerful how could I possibly be a threat to them? Now you I might understand. But me? It’s hard to believe that someone that powerful would be interested in someone like me.”

“Trust me,” said Cole, “he is. His name is Damonculous. He’s interested in anyone who has magical abilities. And he plans to destroy everyone so there’s no possibility of them being a threat to him.”

“Destroy all magical beings?” questioned Angelique. “I’m not sure that’s even possible. It would take a great deal of power to do something like that. I’ve never heard of any single entity with that kind of power.”

“He isn’t alone,” said Cole. “He has friends. Friends who are just as powerful as he is. At the moment the rest are locked away in a dimension where magic doesn’t exist. But if Damonculous completes his plans then his friends will rejoin him on the mortal plane. If that happens they’ll have more than enough power to deal with anyone who might be a threat to them.”

“I see,” said Angelique. “So if this guy is so powerful, why come to me? I’m sort of limited as to what I can do. A specialized job description, you might say. You of all people should be aware of that.”

“I am,” said Cole. “Which is exactly why I’ve come to you. Damonculous won’t perceive you as a threat until it’s too late. And the way I see it, you owe me. Several times over. Do this one little thing for me and we’ll call it square.”

“Well, you’re right about that,” said Angelique. “I am indebted to you. Considering you’ve saved my life on at least two occasions I guess I can’t begrudge you one little favor. So, just what exactly is it you want me to do for you?”

“I want you to kill an Elder,” said Cole very somberly.

[noazmale]

TWENTY-ONE

"Hear now the words of the witches, the secrets we hid in the night.

"The oldest of gods are invoked here, the great work of magic is sought.

"In the night and in this hour, we call upon the ancient power.

"Bring your powers to we sisters three, we want the power.

"Give us the power."

A soft yellow glow emanated from the ceiling covering Prue, Piper, and Phoebe. It lasted only a few seconds and then went out. Leo and Percy just looked on in amazement.

“Well, that should have done it,” said Phoebe. “I guess all that’s left is to check and see if it worked.”

“I have an idea,” said Prue.

She closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment. Everyone watched her intently wondering if the blocking on the sisters powers had been removed.

“Well, I’d say it seems to have worked well enough.”

Everyone turned to the entryway where the voice had come from. Standing in the middle of the entryway was Prue, dressed exactly as she was sitting on the sofa.

“My astral projection seems to be back,” said the Prue in the entryway. “If the rest of our powers work as well then we should have a nice surprise for Damonculous when he returns.”

Prue suddenly vanished from the entryway and the Prue on the sofa opened her eyes. She looked around for a moment and noticed the fireplace poker Leo had used on the warlock still lying on the floor where Leo had dropped it. With a wave of her hand the poker suddenly rose and flew back to the fireplace coming to rest in its holder with the other fireplace implements.

“So far so good,” said Piper. “My turn.”

Piper looked around for a moment.

“Leo,” she said. “Do me a favor. Stand up.”

Leo started to rise from the chair arm where he was sitting next to Piper. When he was about halfway up Piper brought up her hands and he froze in a stooped position. Percy couldn’t help but snicker at the amusing position Leo was in. Satisfied her powers had returned Piper unfroze Leo who continued to stand up.

“Okay,” said Piper. “Everything is working fine.”

“What?” Leo questioned.

“It seems your wife has a very unusual sense of humor,” said Percy, smiling at Leo.

“She froze me, didn’t she?” Leo asked.

“Instant ice cube,” giggled Phoebe. “Well, my precognitive power isn’t an active power. I can’t use it whenever I want like you two. But it seems the spell worked. Now, at least, we might stand a chance against Damonculous.”

“What made you think to use that incantation?” Prue asked. “The spell you wrote didn’t work.”

“True,” said Phoebe. “But what Percy said about our powers got me to thinking. If our powers were still intact inside us, then we needed something that was strong enough to break that blocking. The spell I wrote was trying to utilize our power. This spell,” she indicated the one in the Book of Shadows, “had to be at least as powerful as our own powers. That’s why it was strong enough to break the binding grams put on us.”

“Kind of like giving your powers a jump start,” said Leo.

“Exactly,” said Phoebe. “The Power of Three squared. The power from the book combined with the power inside us both trying to reconnect. It seems the blocking wasn’t powerful enough to withstand that.”

“And a good thing, too,” said Percy. “We are fast running out of options. The next time Damonculous attacks we may not fare as we have up until now. His power will be growing and once he has recharged, so to speak, I doubt that even Cole’s power will affect him for long.”

“Speaking of Cole,” said Piper, “where is he? He said he wouldn’t be gone long.”

“I wish I knew,” said Phoebe. “Sometimes he can be so secretive. But at least now we don’t have to worry about him not being around. If our powers have returned then so should the Power of Three. I can write a spell to deal with Damonculous. We might not be able to vanquish him but I’ll bet we can hurt him pretty bad. We might even be able to hurt him enough to disrupt this blocking he’s put on good magic. That’s all we’d need for the Elders to learn what’s going on.”

“It might also be possible to duplicate what the incantation in the book did,” said Leo. “If you can write a Power of Three spell to break the blocking over Percy or me, we might be able to get to the other Elders. I’m sure they have no idea what’s going on. If we can let them know they might be able to do something about it.”

“That’s a very good idea,” said Percy. “We have access to some very powerful magic besides our own powers. Magic that won’t be affected by this blocking. With it we might be able to restore the power to all the Elders. At the very least we can try to contact the Founders. Damonculous’ blocking won’t have affected them. And they will have all the power needed to defeat him.”

“Okay,” said Prue. “I say our top priority is to break the blocking on either Leo or Percy. So they can get up there and let everyone else know what’s going on. With our powers restored we have a chance to hold off Damonculous until help arrives. And once Cole gets back we’ll have his power to augment ours.”

“And Damonculous is going to be in for one hell of a surprise when he returns,” said Piper.

“We could get Cole’s demonic friends back,” suggested Phoebe. “They seemed to hurt Damonculous pretty bad the last time.”

“No,” said Prue. “They only helped us because Cole promised them we’d vanquish this Por when this was all over. I don’t want to have to trust them again unless there’s no other choice. We’ll just have to stop Damonculous without their help. With our powers restored, we might just stand a chance of doing that, too.”

“I must say I am quite impressed,” said Percy. “Even with the odds so badly stacked against us and yet you still seem certain of victory. It is little wonder no demons have ever been able to best you. I have rarely seen such determination in a human before.”

“Hey, we might lose,” said Prue. “But if we start thinking we’re going to loose then the battle’s half over all ready. We have to keep a positive attitude and do the best we can.”

Prue wished she were as confident as she sounded. Her sisters had always looked to her for strength and guidance. But Damonculous had survived the simultaneous attacks of seven demons, counting Cole. He appeared to be unstoppable. And Prue wasn’t sure that even the Power of Three was going to be enough to stop him.

[noazmale]

TWENTY-TWO

Damonculous bolted upright in the bed. He had been using Persius’ house to recoup his power. With the warlock now vanquished he’d have no use for it. And it allowed Damonculous to replenish the power he had expended fighting the demons.

He had sensed the use of a great power. Instinctively he knew where that power had been used. The Charmed Ones had found a way to break the blocking he had placed on their magic. That was impossible. Only the Elders possessed the necessary power to oppose him and with their power blocked they weren’t a threat.

Unless this Power of Three Persius had told him about was as great as everyone believed. Perhaps he had misjudged the situation entirely. They had been only witches after all. Humans with power granted to them. He had not considered that perhaps this power was a great as that of the Elders.

But to break the blocking he had placed on them would require a tremendous level of power. Power unheard of in humans. If that were true then he may not need the Elder at all. He could use this Power of Three to accomplish his goals just as easily. In fact, once he had the Power of Three that would leave the Elder they were protecting defenseless. He could then drain the Elders power and become even that much stronger.

This would give him a distinct advantage over them. They knew he would reserve his most powerful magic for the Elder. He couldn’t afford to waste what power he had on anyone else. But now he could use that power on the sisters. They would attempt to protect the Elder as they had in the past. Only this time the Elder would not be his target. The sisters would. And even the demon couldn’t protect them all at the same time.

Damonculous lay back down on the bed. His magic and power were almost completely restored. It wouldn’t be long now. Even with the bulk of his power being used to block good magic he was still infinitely stronger than those who opposed him. They were not strong enough to destroy him. And they were human. Humans could be harmed or killed in so many different ways.

Damonculous would bide his time. When he was ready he would return to the manor. And this time the outcome would be different. He had all ready sensed the demons return to their hiding place. They wouldn’t be around to hinder him any longer. And even if they should come to the witches aid as they had before, they would be too late. Damonculous just smiled knowing that in a very short time the Charmed Ones would be dead.

* * *

“Percy, I don’t understand something,” Phoebe said. “You said Damonculous and his followers wanted to rid humanity of evil. Well, wiping out an entire race is evil, isn’t it? Doesn’t that seem just a bit hypocritical? They want to wipe out the human race for being exactly what they’ve become?”

“Actually, it does,” said Percy. “But there was a great deal of time that passed when the idea was first advanced and the fight that finally ensued. Several hundred years, as a matter of fact. Over those centuries, while the Gray Council was debating the matter, their objectives were subtly altered.

“Soon, it became less a matter of the evil in humanity. This was replaced with the rebellion mankind seemed to exhibit at the dictates of the Council. As I’ve said, humans can be quite strong willed when they choose to be. After a while it became not a matter of good or evil but the unwillingness of many humans to follow the direction the Gray Council had laid out for them.”

“Well, that just seems wrong,” said Piper. “You talk about this Gray Council as if they were parents to the human race.”

“In many ways that’s a quite accurate description,” said Percy. “In those days mankind was little more than loosely organized bands. Their very existence was a struggle to simply stay alive from one day to the next.

“The Gray Council saw the potential mankind possessed. Originally, it was their desire to nurture this potential. Much like parents nurture the potential in their children. What the Council failed to realize was that at some point children must be allowed to stand on their own. To make their own decisions whether for good or evil. They never considered that humanity was capable of taking care of itself without their intervention.”

“And when mankind began to stand on its own two feet, so to speak,” said Prue, “they began to resent it. Is that what you’re telling us?”

“Something to that affect,” said Percy. “That is why the Founders forbad interference with free will. Humans have progressed to the point where they are no longer children. And, as all children who eventually reach maturity, they must be allowed to decide for themselves what they will do and what direction they will take. We may offer guidance and advice but ultimately humans must choose for themselves.”

“Like when children finally move out on their own,” said Piper. “Parents may not always like the decisions their kids make but they have to let them make those decisions for themselves.”

“Precisely,” said Percy. “That’s also why the Founders instituted the Elder Council. They knew the desire to circumvent free will would be too great for many of them. So they stepped out of the limelight, so to speak, to allow humanity, with the aid of the Elders and White Lighters, to stand on their own.”

“I wonder where Cole is,” said Phoebe looking around. “He’s been gone an awfully long time. I hope he’s okay. Damonculous may have gone after him to prevent his helping us. Or bounty hunters may have found him.”

“I’m sure he’s all right,” said Percy. “He seems quite capable of taking care of himself. He’s faced one of the most powerful beings in history twice and come out the victor both times. That is no small feat.”

“Still,” said Phoebe, “he’s not invincible. And every minute he stays away is another minute someone will catch up with him.”

“I’m sure Percy is right,” said Piper. “Maybe this plan he came up with is just taking him longer than he originally thought. Whatever that plan is.”

“He seemed to think it might be something that could help us with Damonculous,” said Leo.

“Another demon, perhaps?” questioned Percy. “It would have to be a very powerful demon to stand up to Damonculous. And as he said, I doubt that any of the main stream demons would be willing to assist us.”

“Cole seems to know a lot of dubious people,” said Prue. “I’m not sure I fully trust him, let alone those he brings here. Whomever it is I hope this time….”

Her sentence went unfinished as Damonculous suddenly shimmer-orbed into the entryway. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe jumped to their feet and took up defensive positions in front of Percy. Damonculous just stood in the entryway smiling at them.

[noazmale]

TWENTY-THREE

“Come back to get your butt kicked again?” Prue asked facing Damonculous. “Isn’t twice enough for you? I guess some people are just a glutton for punishment.”

“This time you have no demon to protect you,” said Damonculous.

“Oh, Prue, he’s right,” said Piper in exaggerated mock fear. “Whatever shall we do?”

“Insolent wench,” Damonculous snapped. “You think I am unaware that you have broken the blocking I have put on good magic? But it will do you no good. Do you think your paltry skills are a match for the power I wield? I was ancient when your race first began to walk the Earth. Your power was granted to you from my kind. Do you honestly believe that you are a match for me?”

“We’re sure going to give it that old college try,” said Phoebe defiantly.

“You’re more arrogant than even your demon lover,” said Damonculous. “You believe you can deplete my power while protecting your Elder. If he were my target, that might be true. But I have learned that it is not only the Elders’ power which I can utilize.”

“What are you talking about?” Leo asked.

“It would take a great power to break the blocking I have instilled on good magic,” said Damonculous. “And even if they are human, these three appear to have such a power. But they have not realized that power to its fullest potential. If they had my blocking would not have affected them.

“But the power they possess is not yet fully harnessed. It has taken them time to draw sufficiently on it to break my blocking. Which means only a part of that power is available to them. I can use that power. I will be able to utilize it to its fullest. That power rivals that of even your Elders. This time I shall not waste my time or power trying to get to the Elder. I shall take your power. And when I am finished, your Elder will be defenseless.”

“Bring it on, big boy,” said Piper. “We’ve vanquished some pretty powerful creatures. You’ll just be another one to add to the list.”

“Powerful for you,” said Damonculous. “Has your Elder not told you of the Gray Council? Of the power that my kinsmen and I wield? Do you think you can hope to withstand such power? I am eternal. I cannot be vanquished like some lowly demon.”

“You talk big,” said Prue. “But as I recall you’ve been here twice. Both times you went running away with your tail tucked between your legs. And you haven’t faced the Power of Three yet. As for you not being able to be vanquished….”

Prue’s voice trailed off as she raised her hands. Damonculous was cast back against the wall of the entryway and fell to the floor. As he started to rise, Piper brought her hands up and he froze instantly in place.

“We’d better think of something fast,” said Piper. “My freeze seems to have affected him better than the potion did but I don’t think it’s going to last long.”

“I haven’t had a chance to write a Power of Three spell yet,” said Phoebe. “And I don’t think I’m going to get the time before he comes out of it.”

“Jeremy,” said Piper suddenly. “Remember when we vanquished him? We didn’t have any spells them. All we had was that saying mom had written on the back of the spirit board. ‘The Power of Three shall set us free’. It’s worth a shot.”

“Come on,” said Prue. “Let’s do this while he’s still frozen. Maybe we can end this before he gets another chance.”

The sisters moved next to each other and took each other’s hands. They concentrated hard as they focused all of their magic against Damonculous. As they began to recite the incantation, Damonculous suddenly broke free of Piper’s freeze.

“The Power of Three shall set us free,” incanted the sisters. “The Power of Three shall set us free.”

Over and over again they incanted the spell that had once saved their lives. As they recited the spell over and over again, the magic from it began to envelope Damonculous. He struggled against the magic as it wrapped itself around him, threatening to consume him. For a moment it appeared that the spell had worked. Damonculous howled in rage and pain as the magic closed in on him.

Just as suddenly the magic exploded outwards. The force of the blast caught the girls by surprise knocking them back into the living room. They all fell to the floor but were up on their feet in an instant, once again facing Damonculous. Leo pulled Percy back into the living room trying to shield the Elder from an attack.

“Your power is very impressive,” said Damonculous facing the sisters. “But as I said, it is nothing to the power I command. If you had full access to it you might well be able to defeat me. But three years is barely enough time to learn how to use it, let alone to command it to its fullest.

“When we first created the Gray Lighters it required them years of intense study and training to properly utilize their powers. Did you hope that you could equal such mastery in the paltry time you have had your powers? Their powers came from us. It was a mere shadow of the power the Gray Council commanded. A power we commanded for millennia before the first Gray Lighter was chosen. Now you shall witness that mastery firsthand.”

Damonculous began to move toward the sisters. There was little they could do. Their greatest weapon – the Power of Three – had done little to actually harm Damonculous. They had come closer to vanquishing him than even Cole had. And yet he seemed all but impervious to their power. Damonculous advanced on the sisters knowing that there was nothing they could do to stop him.

[noazmale]

TWENTY-FOUR

Once more Prue brought up her hands intent on throwing Damonculous back. But he was ready for her this time. He simply brought up his hand scattering her telekinetic ability.

“Not this time, witch,” said Damonculous.

With Damonculous momentarily distracted by Prue, Piper raised only her hands. The movement was so minimal it was hardly noticed by Damonculous. As before he instantly froze in place from Pipers’ ability.

“Stripping potion,” said Piper.

The sisters each pulled out a vial and cast them simultaneously at Damonculous. They all struck him at the same time shattering on impact, covering the Gray Council member in the potion. Flames erupted around Damonculous breaking Pipers’ freeze. As before, the flames threatened to consume him but just as quickly suddenly vanished.

“Do you think this will save you?” Damonculous asked. “Your potions and elixirs will have but a momentary affect on me. My power will be restored in a matter of moments.”

“Maybe so,” said Prue, “but at least it gives me the chance to do this.”

She turned toward the fireplace and once again called on her telekinetic power. The poker suddenly rose from its resting place and flew at Damonculous, impaling him in the shoulder. Damonculous cried out in pain, but simply reached up and pulled the offending weapon out. The wound did not heal automatically as before, but instead blood began to run down his arm.

“This will not save you, either,” said Damonculous. “I am immortal. You cannot kill me. When my powers have been restored it will be as if this never happened. And you will run out of your potions soon enough.”

Suddenly the wound in his shoulder healed over as if of its own accord. The power stripping potions the girls had used on him had worn off. Percy was right. Damonculous was the most powerful creature they had ever faced. And no matter what they did, he seemed to suffer no permanent damage. Once again he began to advance on the sisters, raising his hands for the attack.

Suddenly an energy ball struck Damonculous from the side pushing him toward the front door. Damonculous collided with the banister on the stairs and fell to the floor. Almost instantly he was on his feet again as Cole came walking out of the kitchen.

“I see you were able to get your powers back,” Cole said to the sisters. “Now, I think it’s time we put an end to him once and for all.”

“Any suggestions would be helpful,” said Prue, realizing that even with Cole’s added power Damonculous may not be able to be defeated.

He had withstood the Power of Three. They needed an advantage and they needed it now. They were fast running out of options and it was clear that this time Damonculous wasn’t about to leave without claiming his prize. A prize that meant the deaths of everyone in the room. Suddenly Angelique walked out of the kitchen behind Cole. She just smiled at the sisters and stepped up next to Cole facing Damonculous.

“Will I do for a suggestion?” Angelique asked.

“You?” questioned Damonculous. “You have no power of any consequence. You meddle in affairs that do not concern you. Your insolence will be your death. I shall destroy you as I will destroy them.”

“It’s true I’m not all that powerful,” said Angelique. “But I do have one thing that they don’t have.”

“What would that be?” questioned Damonculous.

“This,” said Angelique, raising her hand.

Suddenly a loaded crossbow appeared in her hand. Without hesitation she fired the weapon at Damonculous. The bolt from the crossbow struck Damonculous in the shoulder. As if by magic the crossbow reloaded itself.

“An arrow?” questioned Damonculous, pulling the weapon from his shoulder. “You think an arrow is of any consequence to me?”

“Actually,” said Angelique, “it’s called a bolt. A lot of people make that mistake. They are very similar. But the bolts from this crossbow have one advantage that mortal crossbows don’t have.”

“Advantage?” questioned Damonculous. “What advantage?”

“They’re the only thing that can kill a White Lighter,” said Angelique firing the crossbow again striking Damonculous in the other shoulder. “Or an Elder.”

“I am no Elder,” said Damonculous. “I am a member of the Gray….”

His voice suddenly trailed off as his head began to swim. Pain began to run through his body. His vision was beginning to cloud and he was finding it hard to think clearly. Three more bolts struck him in the torso as he fell to the floor unable to rise. As Damonculous tried to summon all of his power another Elder suddenly orbed into the manor. Damonculous realized that his blocking of good magic had failed. As he started to lose consciousness, Cole stepped up to him.

“Say goodnight, Gracie,” said Cole as he cast an energy ball at Damonculous.

The energy ball struck Damonculous engulfing him in flames. They burned for several moments and then suddenly Damonculous vanished from the manor. Cole turned to the sisters and smiled.

“Honey, I’m home,” he said, smiling. “I’ve brought an old friend by for dinner. I hope it’s not too much of an inconvenience.”

Everyone just stared at Cole and Angelique in shock. A Dark Lighter had done what not even the Charmed Ones had been able to do. Vanquish a member of the Gray Council.

[noazmale]

TWENTY-FIVE

“I don’t understand,” said Loric, the Elder who had orbed into the manor. Percy had quickly explained to him about Damonculous and the situation that had ensued since his arrival. “Damonculous was a member of the Gray Council. And one of the most powerful ones. It took a dozen Gray Council members to defeat him the first time. I fail to see how one Dark Lighter could accomplish such a feat. In the grand scheme, Dark Lighters are one of the least powerful beings.”

“That’s true,” said Angelique, “I don’t have that many powers. Except against a White Lighter. You have no protection against the poison of my bolts.”

“But Damonculous was not a White Lighter,” said Percy. “He was not even an Elder.”

“It was something you said when you first told us about Damonculous,” said Cole. “You compared Damonculous to the first White Lighters. You said he was not a White Lighter but a magical being with tremendous power.”

“That’s true,” said Percy. “As you saw, he was quite powerful.”

“Well,” said Cole, “it stands to reason that if they were granting their followers powers they’d give them powers similar to their own. Sort of make them in their image, so to speak.”

“That make sense,” said Piper. “But what does that have to do with the Dark Lighter here?”

“Well, I didn’t give it much thought at the moment,” said Cole. “Damonculous just seemed so powerful that no matter what we threw at him it didn’t seem to do any good. We kept thinking that we needed more and more power to fight him.

“Then Leo asked about being in danger from demon attacks because they didn’t have access to their powers. As Percy explained it, that wasn’t a problem. You were still immortal even if you couldn’t use your powers. And you described the ascending echelons of the White Lighters, up to and including the Founders.”

“I still do not understand,” said Loric.

“Percy said the Founders were White Lighters,” said Cole. “Just a higher form of White Lighter. And if the Founders were members of this Gray Council, just as Damonculous was, that would make him this higher echelon of White Lighter.”

“That’s certainly true,” said Percy. “Infinitely more powerful, of course, but essentially accurate.”

“Why didn’t we think of that?” Leo asked. “It all makes perfect sense now. No matter how much power Damonculous had – no matter how high in the echelon – he was still just basically a White Lighter. Just like the sisters may be the most powerful force for good in history they’re still basically just witches.”

“True,” said Cole smiling. “And the only thing a White Lighter is vulnerable to is the poison from a Dark Lighters’ bolt. I was pretty sure it would affect him. I just wasn’t sure how much was needed. I know Leo’s been shot a couple of times and it always seemed to take a while.”

“The poison is not immediately fatal,” said Angelique. “Like most poisons it must spread through the victims’ system. But barring the healing of a White Lighter, it can’t be stopped.”

“Strange that this did not occur to me,” said Percy. “I’ve been an Elder for more than three hundred years. And yet it never occurred to me that Damonculous was simply a higher form of White Lighter.”

“Forest and trees,” said Cole.

“I beg your pardon?” questioned Loric.

“An old human expression,” said Cole. “You couldn’t see the forest for the trees. It means you were looking so closely at the problem that you didn’t see the simplest solution of all. I did that same thing at first. We’re all so used to needing a more powerful magic to overcome whatever magic we’re fighting that we forgot it’s not always about power. Sometimes it’s just about basic biology.”

“It appears that we are in your debt once again,” Loric said to the sisters. “When our magic suddenly ceased to function we were unable to discern it’s cause. And as Paracellious explained to you, it was believed the Gray Council was defeated or sealed in their non-magical realm.”

“As much as I hate to admit it,” said Prue, “you have Cole to thank for that, not us. He’s the one who figured out Damonculous’ weakness.”

“You think there might be others out there like Damonculous?” Leo asked. “Gray Council members waiting to strike at the Elders?”

“Extremely unlikely,” said Loric. “Damonculous was the only Gray Council member who was unaccounted for, as it were. The rest were either buried after they died or were banished to the other realm. His was the only body not located. The Founders simply believed he had been vanquished since he had never made a reappearance.”

“I wonder why he waited so long before popping up again,” said Prue thoughtfully. “The way Percy explained it it’s been fifteen or twenty thousand years since he was defeated. That seems an awfully long time to plot your revenge even for someone like him.”

“That is a mystery,” said Loric. “I can assure you that the Elders will investigate the matter thoroughly.”

“You think he might return in the future?” Phoebe asked. “His body vanished again this time.”

“I doubt it,” said Percy. “As Cole explained, Damonculous was a White Lighter. And as our Dark Lighter has explained, only the healing from a White Lighter can counteract the poison of their crossbow. Even if he managed to escape alive he won’t live for long. White Lighters cannot heal themselves.”

“Oh, we know that one all too well,” said Piper.

“We should be going,” Loric said to Percy. “This is going to be most difficult to explain to the rest of the Council. We were saved by a demon and a Dark Lighter. I know there are some who will simply not believe it. This is going to take quite a number of explanations I believe.”

“I shall join you shortly,” said Percy. “I wish to say goodbye before I leave.”

“I shall await your arrival,” said Loric who them simply orbed out of the manor.

“That’s a fine how-do-you-do,” said Piper. “Not so much as a goodbye.”

“Forgive him,” said Percy. “Most Elders are unused to dealing in such amenities. And he does have quite a lot on his mind at the moment.”

“So,” said Phoebe, putting her arm around Cole and looking at Angelique, “what do we do about her?”

Angelique just smiled at them. The crossbow she had used against Damonculous had simply vanished when he was vanquished. Everyone stood around looking at Angelique wondering what the Dark Lighter would do next.

[noazmale]

TWENTY-SIX

“Didn’t Cole mentioned something about dinner?” said Angelique coyly. “I understand the middle sister is supposed to be a passable cook.”

“Passable cook?” shrieked Piper. “Why you insulting, self-serving…. I’m a professional chef, not some cook.”

“Down, girl,” said Prue, putting her hand on Piper’s shoulder. “She’s only a Dark Lighter after all.” Prue turned to Angelique. “No offense, honey, but having a demon at the dinner table wouldn’t be my first choice.”

“Technically,” said Angelique, “I’m not a demon. I’m a Dark Lighter. I was human once, you know?”

“Yeah,” said Phoebe. “An evil one.”

“What can I say?” asked Angelique. “I had a very traumatic childhood.”

“Ours wasn’t exactly a picnic,” said Prue. “But you don’t see us going around trying to kill the good guys all the time.”

“True,” said Angelique. “To be honest, I had a pretty good childhood. My father was quite rich. I just like being evil. None of those pesky rules and restrictions like you have.”

“That’s enough,” said Cole. “Angelique is just yanking your chains. She likes to do that.”

“True again,” said Angelique smiling. “And it’s so easy with some people.”

“An old friend, huh?” Phoebe questioned Cole.

“Yeah,” said Cole. “We, uh, dated for a while. Then the war broke out and the Kaiser had some people he wanted out of the way. You know how things can get.”

“The Kaiser?” questioned Phoebe.

“Yeah,” said Angelique. “World War I. Now those were the good old days. Cole, when you get tired of this skinny little thing, you know where you can find me.”

“Skinny?” questioned Phoebe. “Just don’t worry about him. We will be quite fine.”

“For now,” said Angelique. “But when he loses interest in you, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“He’s not going to lose interest,” Phoebe insisted.

“Sure he will,” said Angelique. “In twenty or thirty years when your breasts start to sag, and that little mustache of yours become more noticeable, and those little crows feet around your eyes become more pronounced, I’ll still look like I do now. Who do you think he’ll be interested in then?”

“Mustache?” questioned Phoebe vehemently. “Crows feet? Why you arrogant little….

“Angelique, that’s enough,” said Cole sternly. “I didn’t bring you here to spar with the girls.”

“Of course not,” said Angelique. “You brought me here to kill an Elder. I must say it was easier than I thought. And there aren’t many Dark Lighters that can boast of a kill like that.”

“Technically,” said Percy, “he wasn’t an Elder.”

“Close enough for government work,” said Angelique. “And your witch is a feisty one, Cole. I like her. Under other circumstances we might actually have become friends.”

“Yeah,” said Phoebe. “In a pig’s eye.”

“Angelique, thanks for the help,” said Cole. “And as I promised, your debt to me is paid.”

“Don’t let that keep you away,” said Angelique, winking at Phoebe.

“I think it’s time you were going,” said Cole.

“Girls,” said Angelique, “it was a real pleasure saving your butts. Until next time.”

Angelique suddenly blinked out and was gone.

“Some friends you have,” said Phoebe.

“Ancient history,” said Cole. “I did have a life before I met you, you know. What did you think? That I just sat around waiting for you to come into my life?”

“No,” sighed Phoebe. “I guess not. But that woman is….”

“Gone,” said Piper. “And good riddance. I’m surprised Damonculous didn’t realize she was a Dark Lighter.”

“No reason he should have,” said Percy. “Dark Lighters didn’t exist in Damonculous’ day. Again, I must thank you for all your assistance. Without you Damonculous may well have carried through on his threat.”

“That’s what we’re here for, isn’t it?” Prue asked.

“Percy,” said Leo, “about Timothy.”

“I shall take him back with me,” said Percy. “He perished protecting me. He will be honored as a true hero among the White Lighters. The Council will wish to speak with you, Leo. To get your version of what happened.”

“I know,” said Leo. “I’ll be up there shortly.”

“We have a lot of cleaning up to do,” said Piper. “Those attacks by Damonculous did a lot of damage. Leo, under the circumstances, do you think it would be okay if you gave us a little supernatural assistance?”

“Actually,” said Percy, “I believe that would be perfectly acceptable.” He passed his hand in front of him and everything in the manor was suddenly back in its original state. “After all, if it had not been for Damonculous, you wouldn’t have sustained the damage. I don’t think anyone will begrudge you a little magic to repair what was damaged.”

“Thanks, Percy,” said Phoebe, kissing him on the cheek. “For an Elder, you aren’t half bad.”

“High praise coming from you,” said Percy. “I will take that as a compliment. Now, if you will excuse me, I must get Timothy up there.”

Percy turned and headed for the arboretum where Timothy’ body still lay.

“He’s not like the other Elders,” said Prue. “He seems almost human.”

“I guess that’s because he spent a lot of time in the field before he became an Elder,” said Leo. “He helped prepare me for my assignment with you.”

“Well, there may be hope for the Elders yet,” said Piper. “I guess all that time as a White Lighter helped him understand humans a little better than the rest of the Elders.”

“True,” said Leo, “but he always says it was his very first charge that helped him better deal with humans.”

“That must have been quite a charge,” said Phoebe.

“She was,” said Leo. “And he always said he really loved Salem in those old days.”

“Salem?” questioned Prue. “You mean Salem, Massachusetts? He was around during the witch hunts?”

“Yes, he was,” said Leo. “In fact, his first charge was a victim of those hunts. That’s why he was chosen to prepare me for my assignment to you three. His first charge was Melinda Warren.”

“He was Melinda’s White Lighter?” questioned Piper. “No wonder he seemed so friendly. I guess we remind him of her some.”

“More than some,” said Leo. “He’s often told me that he looks on you three almost as extended daughters. He was very close to Melinda before….”

“Come on,” said Piper. “Dinner sounds like a good idea. And with Damonculous vanquished and our powers restored, I think we’ve earned something special tonight.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Cole. “All the shimmering has made me famished.”

“Well,” said Piper, “considering you were instrumental in saving us all, I’ll tell you what. Let me know what your favorite meal is and I can prepare it. Call it a thank you for everything you’ve done.”

“Now that’s something I can go for,” said Cole, smiling.

“And when you’re done with that,” said Prue, “there’s something else you can fill us in on.”

“What’s that?” Cole asked.

“A certain demon named Por,” said Prue. “I seem to recall a deal that we’d vanquish him when this was all over. If we’re going to do that we’ll need to know everything we can about it.”

“Sure thing,” said Cole. “It shouldn’t be too difficult. He’s not as powerful as I am. And he’s probably in the Book of Shadows. I can also help with a vanquishing potion if you need.”

“Wow,” said Phoebe.

“What is it, sweetie?” Piper asked.

“I was just thinking,” said Phoebe. “We had an Elder as a house guest, demons and a Dark Lighter helped protect us, we vanquished an ancient evil that everyone thought was unstoppable, and now we’re preparing to vanquish another demon to help out the demons who helped us. Not exactly a typical day, even for us.”

“No one said being a Charmed One was boring,” said Leo.

“Boy, you can say that again,” said Prue as she followed Piper into the kitchen.

The End