Redemption

[noazmale]

SEVENTEEN

“You seem to have convinced them,” said Malevant when they had returned to the seclusion of the Sources’ personal chambers. “Vanquishing Kralor was a nice touch. He would have proven to be a nuisance anyway.”

“I never cared much for him,” said Cole. “He always coveted my power. Now I don’t have to worry about that. Kralor is dead and the rest will follow me without question.”

“My Lord,” said the Seer, “we must make plans. If you are to use this spell against one of the witches me must see that there are no mistakes. It must be done before any can suspect what is happening.”

“I’ve all ready thought of that,” said Cole. “In a week Phoebe and I are going to take a vacation. We’re going to drive up the coast to a small bed and breakfast away from the others. When I have her alone I can use the spell on her. That will strip them all of their powers. And since she won’t be a witch any longer, not even Leo will be able to hear her if she calls for him.”

“She will still betray you,” said Malevant. “Even without her powers she will never follow you. Not when she learns you are the Source.”

“That’s taken care of, too,” said Cole. “The Seer has provided me with another spell. Without her powers, she’ll be nothing but another mortal. She won’t have her magic to protect her. The spell the Seer has given me will mesmerize her into accepting me. We return I can use it on her sisters. Once I do that my plan will be completed.”

“Are you sure the spell will work?” Malevant questioned. “Is it another power of the Ancients from one of the pages?”

“No,” said Seer. “It is just a normal spell. But it will affect her as it would any mortal. And as he said, it will cause her to follow him without question. Not even their White Lighter will be able to do anything about that.”

“Yes,” said Malevant, “but he can report to their Elders. When they have learned you have stripped the Charmed Ones of their powers they will be prepared. There are other witches that pose a threat to us.”

“Yes,” said Cole. “Leo needs to be removed. Without him the Elders won’t know what’s going on until it’s too late. There’s only one way to stop a White Lighter. We will have need of a Dark Lighter.”

“I shall attend to it,” said Malevant. “He and my brother are good friends. Perhaps once I have killed the Charmed Ones White Lighter that will draw my brother out into the open. I might get my chance to rid myself of him permanently?”

“How?” the Seer asked. “You have always been too evenly matched. How will this time be any different?”

“Because of those pages,” Malevant said. “Perhaps there is some power in there I could use to finally destroy my brother. If I knew what the powers were I might be able to utilize them against him.”

“The Charmed Ones and the famed warrior White Lighter all in one day?” Cole asked smiling. “That would be a very good day indeed.”

“And would solidify your position as the new Source,” said Malevant. “When the hierarchy learns I destroyed my brother on your orders, they will not dare oppose you.”

“If you destroy him,” said the Seer.

“That is why I need to know what magic those pages hold,” said Malevant. “It may require more than one of them used in concert.”

“How will your brother know it was you who killed Leo?” Cole asked.

“I will taunt him with it,” said Malevant. “I will boast that it was I who destroyed the White Lighter. And stripped the sisters of their powers. He will have to come after me. Not only to avenge the White Lighter but to stop me permanently. It will show him I am too much of a threat to be left alone any longer.”

“It’s a good plan,” said the Seer. “But he will of course know that it is a trap.”

“And I will give him that trap,” said Malevant. “It may cost me some underlings but it will be worth it to finally be rid of him.”

“Use any in the Underworld you need to accomplish this,” said Cole. “Michael is too great a prize for this to be left to chance. And we all know just how powerful he is. Make sure you have enough demons with you to finish him for good.”

“Have no fear of that, my Lord,” said Malevant. “This time my brother will not escape me. He has plagued me for far too long. Longer than the Charmed Ones have plagued you. When do you plan to use the spell on the witch?”

“Next weekend,” said Cole. “Until then no demon is to go after the Charmed Ones. We can’t risk them learning what we have planned. Our only option is to surprise them before they have a chance to prepare.”

“Excellent,” said Malevant. “Now, if you will show me the pages from the Tome of the Ancients that you have I can formulate the best way to kill my brother. Even the Elders will tremble in fear when they learn of what we have done.”

“Seer,” said Cole, “get the pages.”

The Seer moved to a table at the rear of the chamber to get the pages from the Tome of the Ancients.

“You all ready know of the one that allowed me to possess Turner,” said Cole. “And of the one that will strip the Charmed Ones of their powers forever. The rest are just as impressive. And I’m sure there will be something you can use to put and end to your brother. Now, here’s what we have.”

Malevant watched carefully as Cole took the pages from the Seer and began to explain in great detail the magnificent powers contained in those few pages.

[noazmale]

EIGHTEEN

Cole had left to complete the case he was currently working on. After breakfast was over, Leo asked the girls if he could speak to them in the living room. They all knew something was up. Leo wasn’t acting like himself. He actually appeared to be nervous.

“Okay,” said Piper, “we’re here. Now what’s this all about?”

“We need to talk,” said Leo. “First, I don’t want anyone getting upset. They had good reason for what they did. And once I’ve explained I’m sure you’ll understand why.”

“They?” Paige questioned. “This is about the Elders, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” said Leo. “Phoebe, do you have the spell ready?”

“Uh, yeah,” said Phoebe pulling three pieces of paper out of her pocket. She handed one to each of her sisters. “Leo, I thought you said you didn’t want them to know?”

“Know what?” questioned Piper suspiciously.

“The Elders asked Phoebe to write a Power of Three spell,” said Leo.

“And you didn’t tell us?” Piper asked looking at Phoebe.

“I asked her not to tell you,” said Leo. “At that time I wasn’t sure what was going on. And it was possible the spell might not have to be used. So I asked her not to say anything until we were sure.”

“Okay,” said Piper. “If the Elders are behind this it can’t be good.”

“Actually,” said Leo, “they’re trying to protect you.”

“Sure they are,” said Paige sarcastically.

“No, it’s true,” said Leo. “The spell is designed to force a demon out of a person it’s possessed. When they asked me to ask Phoebe to write it all they would say was that you were in danger and it might be needed.”

“Wouldn’t a regular spell have worked?” Paige asked. “I would think possession would be a simple matter to take care of.”

“Normally, it is,” said Leo. “But this is a special circumstance. The demon is particularly powerful. And a regular spell might not be strong enough. That’s why the Elders wanted a Power of Three spell. It should be strong enough to force out even this demon.”

“You said we were in danger,” said Phoebe. “Does that mean it’s a demon we’ve encountered before?”

“Yes,” said Leo. “Actually, it’s the Source.”

“We vanquished his sorry butt,” said Piper.

“Not completely,” said Leo. “Apparently the Seer used some form of ancient magic to prevent the Sources’ essence from being permanently vanquished. It was able to possess a human. And the Source is beginning to take control of that human.”

“I didn’t think it was possible for that to happen,” said Paige. “Not once a demon was vanquished.”

“As I said,” said Leo, “it was ancient magic. There is magic that’s forbidden to be used because it’s so powerful. You know of the Hollow. That’s one example. But there are others. Some of it has been lost for millennia. And it’s possible that some of it may have been discovered.”

“So we have another innocent to protect,” said Piper. “If the Source is possessing this human that means he’ll remember what we did to him. No wonder the Elders were concerned. He’ll probably be coming after us for revenge.”

“Exactly,” said Leo. “That’s why they wanted the spell ready as soon as possible. Now that you have it you can use it to force the Source out of the host.”

“Then what?” Paige asked. “Vanquish him again?”

“Yes,” said Leo. “That’s what Michael has been doing here. We’ve been arranging to do just that. He’s going to gather some help. Once you force the Source out it will take a few moments for you to cast the vanquishing spell. You could be vulnerable and the Source will take advantage of that vulnerability.”

“So this help,” said Phoebe. “It will be other witches?”

‘Probably,” said Leo. “Michael’s going to get enough to keep the Source occupied while you cast the vanquishing spell. Once you have forced him out of the host, the others will attack. They won’t be powerful enough to destroy him but he’ll have to defend himself. He won’t be able to stop you from using the spell to vanquish him.”

“Won’t he just possess someone else?” Paige asked. “Like he did before?”

“No,” said Cole. “The Seer won’t be here this time to use the magic that she used before. Without that magic the Source will be vanquished just as any other demon.”

“You said here,” said Piper. “That means we’re going to do it here in the manor?”

‘Yes,” said Leo. “This is where you’re the strongest. You’ll need that added strength against the Source. If everything goes as planned the host will be free and the Source will be permanently vanquished this time.”

“So who is the host?” Phoebe asked. “And how do you plan to get him to the manor so we can force the Source out?”

“That’s the hardest part of this,” said Leo. “Do you remember what the Seer said when you vanquished the Source? You asked where his power had gone?”

“She said it went into the void,” said Paige.

“Yes,” said Leo. “But what we didn’t know was that she wasn’t talking about some void in the great beyond or something like that. It went into a void in a person that had been created earlier. When they lost a part of themselves, so to speak.”

“I know you aren’t saying what I think you’re saying,” said Phoebe.

“Yes, Phoebe, I am,” said Leo. “The void the Seer was talking about was the void in Cole that was created when Belthazor was stripped from him.”

“I knew it,” said Paige. “I knew he was up to his old tricks.”

“No,” said Phoebe, tears in her eyes, “I don’t believe you. Cole has changed. He’s not a demon any more. You’re making this all up.”

“I wish he was,” said Michael from the entryway. “I’m sorry Phoebe, but it’s true. I’ve witnessed it myself. The Source has possessed Cole. And in a very short time Cole’s personality will be so completely overwhelmed that there will be virtually nothing left of it.”

“Michael,” asked Leo, “I didn’t think you were coming back so soon.”

“Things have changed,” said Michael. “I’ll explain that in a minute. Right now we have to make the girls understand exactly what’s going on here.”

“So, Cole is a demon again?” asked Piper.

“Not exactly,” said Michael.

“What do you mean ‘not exactly’?” questioned Paige. “You just said….”

“I said the Source had possessed Cole,” said Michael. “That doesn’t make him a demon any more than it makes a demon of any other human that’s been possessed. Cole is the same Cole you knew. But the Source is in control right now and that makes it appear that Cole has turned evil.”

“I don’t believe you,” said Phoebe. “It’s all lies. This is one of your convoluted schemes, isn’t it? Just like when we first met you.”

“I wish it were,” said Michael. “Phoebe, you now some demons can possess people. It’s traditionally one of the major abilities of demons. They don’t do it so much now but in times past possession was a staple of demonic influence on the mortal realm.”

“But not Cole,” Phoebe said, starting to cry. “Not after all we’ve been through. Not when we’re so close. It can’t be true. It just can’t be.”

“Believe me, Phoebe, it’s true,” said Michael. “I believe this was the Seer’s plan all along. To make you think you had vanquished the Source so he could attack from the inside, so to speak. You’d never believe Cole would be a threat to you. The attack would have come as a total shock. And it might have worked if the Seer hadn’t needed Malevant’s help in convincing the Underworld the Source had returned.”

“So what now? Phoebe screamed in anger. “You expect me to help vanquish the man I love? The man who’s given up everything for me? You think I can just calmly vanquish him like I would any other demon?”

“No,” said Michael. “That’s why you have the spell you wrote.”

“It’s true,” said Leo. “Once you have forced the Source out of Cole I’m going to orb him away to safety. So he won’t be in any danger.”

“He’s right,” said Michael. “Phoebe, despite what Cole may have done in the past, since Belthazor was stripped from him he’s just another innocent. We’re trying to save him, not vanquish him. If we can force the Source out of him we can vanquish the Source and Cole can continue to live as any other human.”

“Yeah, a former demon,” said Paige. “He’d be an evil human.”

“Not necessarily,” said Michael. “Without Belthazor’s influence on him he’ll be just as normal as any other human. With the propensity for good as well as evil. He can make the choice to be good. A choice I believe he’s all ready made.”

“So it’s not Cole?” Phoebe questioned. “It’s really the Source?”

“Exactly,” said Michael. “You have to accept that and you have to accept it fast. As I said, things have changed. The Underworld has all ready accepted the new Source. And he has plans to deal with the three of you and with Leo. And what he has planned could very well work. If we don’t stop him first.”

“We defeated him before,” said Piper. “We’ll defeat him again.”

“I’m not so confident,” said Michael. “This time he has magic that not even the Power of Three can stand up against.”

“That’s impossible,” said Piper. “Nothing is stronger than the Power of Three.”

“This is,” said Michael “The Source has found several pages from the Tome of the Ancients.”

“No,” Leo gasped.

“The what?” Paige asked.

“The Tome of the Ancients,” Michael repeated. “Magic so powerful that nothing can stand up against it. Compared to it, the Power of Three is nothing. Less of a hindrance than a water pistol against an upper level demon. And he’s planning to use it against the girls.”

[noazmale]

NINETEEN

“Wait a minute,” said Piper. “We’ve always been told the Power of Three is the most powerful magic in history. That we were the most powerful witches in history. When we went back to save Melinda Warren’s birth the witches there summoned the most powerful witches that will ever live and they got us. How can this Tome of the Ancients be so much more powerful than that?’

“You are the most powerful witches in history,” said Michael. “And the Power of Three is the most powerful magic in history. The reason the tome is so much more powerful is because it pre-dates history.”

“I don’t get it,” said Paige.

“Before human history began,” said Leo, “there was a race of beings. Today we refer to them as the Old Ones. According to all references they were extremely powerful demons. Much more powerful than the ones that exist today.”

“That’s right,” said Michael. “The Old Ones are the ones who originated magic. Created it as a tool. Just like humans have created all sorts of scientific and technological marvels to assist them. That’s the equivalent of what the Old Ones did. They created magic to use as a tool to help them.”

“But like so many things what they created was much more powerful than they imagined,” said Leo. “When the first atomic bomb was tested, even the scientists who created it were staggered by it’s power. They had no idea it would be so powerful.”

“And the Old Ones were equally staggered,” said Michael. “The tool they had created turned out to be even more powerful than they first imagined.”

“What does this have to do with this Tome of the Ancients?” Phoebe asked, wiping tears from her eyes.

“The Ancients were the second race to exist,” said Michael. “An offshoot of sorts from the Old Ones. It is believed they were created when some of the Old Ones mated with what were essentially the first humans. The Ancients were more human than the Old Ones but just as powerful.

“After several millennia the Ancients began to realize just how powerful the magic that had been created was. They also realized that the magic was being used to keep the humans in virtual slavery. Humans answered to the whim of the Old Ones and some of the Ancients.”

“And with each succeeding generation,” said Leo, “the magic of the Old Ones was being further diluted. The magic those generations could control was nothing compared to the original two races.”

“Yes,” said Michael. “Eventually the humans revolted against the Old Ones. The Ancients sided with the humans. There was a terrible battle and thousands died on both sides. When it was over, according to legend, the Old Ones were either vanquished or forced from the mortal realm.”

“But the Ancients were decimated,” said Leo. “Most had died during the battle. Those that had survived were greatly depleted of power. According to some very ancient legends, the surviving Ancients gathered all of the magic that had originally existed into one massive book. This was the Tome of the Ancients. The magic it contains is so powerful there is no known way to destroy it.”

“What happened to this book?” Paige asked.

“No one knows for sure,” said Michael. “Accounts vary on what exactly happened to it. One account has the book eventually being divided up and the individual pages hidden in distant locations so that no one would ever again have access to its terrible power.”

“And you think the Source has found some of these pages?” Phoebe asked.

“I know he has,” said Michael. “I’ve seen them for myself. They are exactly as described in the most ancient texts. They’re written on some type of material that I haven’t been able to identify. And while it appears to be written in ink it’s not ink. Again, I don’t know what it is. The pages were probably created magically which would help to explain why they can’t be destroyed.”

“Because we don’t have the necessary power to overcome the magic they were created with,” said Piper.

“Exactly,” said Michael. “You’ve been told there are creatures and things that predate human history. This is one of those things. And it’s the most powerful magic that has ever existed.”

“So if the Source uses this magic against us,” said Paige, “there’s no way to resist it?”

“That’s about the size of it,” said Michael. “Our only ace in the hole, so to speak, is that he doesn’t plan to kill you. He plans to strip your powers from you. And the spell he’s going to use will not only strip your powers but the powers of all descendants of Melinda Warrens’ line. And prevent any of your descendants from ever having any powers.”

“That’s a pretty powerful spell,” said Piper.

“Everything about the Ancients was powerful,” said Leo. “Too powerful to be entrusted in the hands of anyone today. Especially not the leader of the Underworld. We have to get those pages away from him and the Elders can lock them away with other magic too powerful to use.”

“We have a more immediate problem,” said Michael. “As Malevant I should be able to get the pages. But only once the Source is dealt with. Not even the Seer will challenge me without the Source around. We have to force the Source out of Turner and vanquish him before he has a chance to use the pages he has. Trust me. I’ve seen the pages. We cannot allow the Source to use them on anyone.”

“Okay,” said Phoebe. “Let’s say I believe you. That the Source has possessed Cole. How do you propose we force him out of Cole and vanquish him without him catching on to what we’re doing? Once we start the incantation he could just shimmer away.”

“Not if he’s occupied,” said Michael. “He said you and he were planning to go away next weekend.”

“Yes,” said Phoebe. “A little getaway after his big case.”

“Well,” said Michael, “we’ll have to make our move before then. One night when you’re all here for dinner Leo can contact me telepathically and let me know Cole is here. I’ll orb in with some help and we’ll attack immediately. While Cole is busy defending himself against us you cast the spell to force the Source out of him.

“Once the two have been separated Leo will grab Cole and orb him away. While Leo is orbing Cole away, we’ll attack the Source again. Paige can orb the crystals into place trapping the Source inside. Then you can use the vanquishing spell to finally put an end to him forever. We should be able to keep him off balance enough to pull it off. Assuming we can catch him by surprise.”

“Does he have any idea we’re onto him?” Piper asked.

“Not yet,” said Michael. “He was afraid I might be able to sense him inside Cole. I assured him as Malevant I couldn’t do that. In most cases I can’t. But it’s different with him. In a way, I’m like him. Very defined forces of good and evil at war inside. Because of it I was able to sense the Source inside Cole.”

“Okay,” said Piper. “I have an idea. Wednesday night I’ll fix a special supper. Kind of a send off for their little getaway. That will make sure that Cole is here Wednesday.”

“That’s a good idea,” said Paige. “Cole knows I’m suspicious of him. I can make a stink about I don’t think you should do it. After all, they’re going to be married soon and you’ll be fixing a special dinner for that, too.”

“Okay,” said Phoebe. “I’ll go along with this on one condition. You guarantee me that nothing, and I mean nothing, happens to Cole. If he is possessed by the Source he’s an innocent in all this. I won’t have him being hurt or killed by carelessness.”

“You have my word,” said Michael. “The second the two are separated Leo will orb Cole away. The Source will be much too busy protecting himself against the attacks to be concerned with Cole. Cole will be out of here before anything can happen to him.”

“That’s a very good plan,” said a voice from the entryway. “One worthy of you, Malevant. And I must congratulate you on keeping your secret from me for all these decades. I must applaud your ingenuity. No one has ever suspected your true identity.”

Everyone turned toward the entryway. In the entryway, Cole stood smiling at them. Behind him stood four other demons. Demons that belonged to the Brotherhood of the Thorn. The personal bodyguards of the new Source and four of the most powerful demons in the Underworld.

[noazmale]

TWENTY

“Really, Malevant,” said Cole, “I knew you were devious but not even I suspected that you were leading a double life. All of your magnificent plans, your apparent genuine hatred of humanity, your well-known fights with your ‘brother’. Such ingenuity. Worthy of a true demon.”

“I am half demon after all,” said Michael.

“Of course,” said Cole. “It’s amazing no one suspected you before. But you were obviously extremely careful not to draw attention to yourself.”

“It’s true, isn’t it?” Phoebe said to Cole. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be with them. The Cole I know would never associate with demons. The only reason you would be with them was if you were possessed by the Source.”

“Once a brother, always a brother,” said Cole. “Phoebe, it’s still me. I’m still the Cole Turner you feel in love with.”

“No, you aren’t,” said Phoebe. “I fell in love with a man. You’re no longer human. I know Cole is still in there somewhere. But you aren’t him.”

“The man you feel in love with was half demon,” Cole said. “When Belthazor was stripped from me I was only half a man. Now I’m whole again. I have my demonic powers back. And more.”

“You obviously have no idea what love is,” said Phoebe. “I love Cole in spite of his demonic half, not because of it. He had a demonic half, that’s true. We all have our dark side. And Coles’ demonic half was a very strong obstacle for him to overcome. But he did overcome it. After one hundred years as a demon he had finally found his humanity. That’s something you could never understand. There’s no humanity in you.”

“You’re wrong,” said Cole. “Cole Turner is part of me. I love you as he loved you. That’s why I’m going to make you my queen. Every demon in the Underworld will bow down to you. You will be a queen.”

“Queen of the Underworld?” Phoebe asked. “No thanks.”

“Michael says you don’t plan to kill us,” said Piper. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come for my queen,” said Cole. “Oh, I’m not going to kill you. Phoebe would never tolerate that. I’m just going to strip you of your powers. That will keep you safe. Without powers you aren’t a threat to the Underworld. No demons will ever bother you again. You’ll have what you’ve always wanted. A life without demons.”

“No deal,” said Piper. “The Cole Turner we know knows that we don’t deal with demons. They can’t be trusted. The Charmed Ones don’t make deals with demons no matter who they look like.”

“You really have no choice,” said Cole. “There’s no way you can stand against all of us. I’m going to strip your powers and there’s nothing you can do to prevent it. And as Michael has most likely all ready told you, once I’ve done it there is no way to reverse it.”

“Except for one minor problem,” said Michael.

“And what would that be?” Cole asked.

Michael suddenly cast a fireball directly at Cole. Nearly as instantly Cole shimmered and vanished from the entryway. The fireball passed through the shimmer striking the Brotherhood demon behind him. The demon was slammed against the wall behind him but wasn’t vanquished.

As Michael cast his fireball, Piper raised her hand and exploded another of the Brotherhood demons. The explosion was not completely successful but had obviously hurt the demon badly. Another of the Brotherhood demons cast a fireball at Michael as he was attacking Cole. Paige called to the fireball redirecting it back at the demon. The demon was vanquished as the fireball struck him full force.

Another Brotherhood demon cast a fireball at Leo intent on obliterating the White Lighter. Leo simply orbed out and the fireball passed through him. Phoebe had turned and grabbed a poker from the fireplace. She swung it at one another of the Brotherhood demons striking him alongside the head. It caused only a slight injury to the demon but it backed away from Phoebe.

Michael cast another fireball and struck the same demon he had attacked before. This time the demon was vanquished in a conflagration unable to resist the power of the warrior White Lighter. Another demon turned on Michael striking him with its fist. Michael, although only slightly injured, stumbled back from the force of the blow. The demon Piper had attacked turned on her with renewed vengeance. It cast a fireball at her that she had to duck to avoid, making it unable for her to attack once again.

As the demon began to form another fireball, Paige called for a vase sitting on a table in the living room. She redirected the vase, striking the demon full in the face. Although it didn’t harm the demon it did break his concentration extinguishing the fireball he had formed.

Phoebe struck out at the demon she had attacked and in an uncharacteristic manner, the demon backed away from her, unwilling to engage her. She swung the poker at him and he knocked it away, backing out of range at her. Michael was regaining his feet and turned to face another of the demons when Cole suddenly shimmered in behind Piper. He grabbed her, pinning one arm to her side as he placed his hand around her throat.

“Enough,” he shouted. “And don’t try freezing us, Piper. I chose these demons specifically because they are resistant to that particular power.

Everyone turned to face Cole as he held Piper in front of him as a human shield. The Brotherhood demons, instead of pressing their obvious advantage, backed away and took up defensive stances ready for renewed attacks. Leo orbed back into the room next to Paige.

“Don’t hurt her,” Leo pleaded. “Please, if there’s anything left of Cole in there, don’t hurt her.”

“I have no intentions of hurting her,” said Cole. “I never did. Like I said, I just came to get my queen. If Phoebe agrees to return to the Underworld with me you have my word that the rest of you will not be harmed.”

“Like Piper said,” said Phoebe, “we don’t deal with demons. I made that deal with you once before. And it cost Prue her life. I won’t make that mistake again.”

“That’s because the Source wanted you all dead,” said Cole. “I’m not that demon any more. Cole Turner’s love for you has tempered me. I want you to rule at my side, Phoebe. To be queen of the Underworld forever. If you agree to come with me I won’t harm your sisters. You have my word they’ll be safe. You have the word of Cole Turner.”

“You’re not Cole,” said Phoebe.

“I am and I’m not,” said Cole. “I’m more than Cole Turner. More than the former Source. I’m a joining of the two. I’m master of the Underworld but with a human soul. A soul that understands you. A soul that loves you. Agree to join me voluntarily and I won’t harm either her or Paige. Refuse, and you give me no reason to keep them alive.”

Phoebe looked at Piper. Many demons were resistant to her freezing ability. There was no reason to believe that what Cole had said wasn’t true. It would have been a reasonable precaution to choose demons resistant to their powers. And they had all ready proven they were resistant to her explosive ability.

“Don’t do it,” said Piper. “We don’t deal with demons.”

“I can’t loose you like I lost Prue,” said Phoebe. “I know you two were always closer than I was. But she was still my sister and I loved her. I can’t risk loosing you, too.”

“You have my word,” Cole repeated.

“As long as my sisters remain unharmed,” said Phoebe, “I’ll go with you. But only to protect them. I’ll never love you. I love Cole. Whatever you are, you aren’t him. Don’t expect me to treat you like you are.”

“That will change,” said Cole. He released Pipers’ arm and reached out for Phoebe keeping his hand around her throat. “Come. I’ll return us to the Underworld. Once we are safely away, the Brotherhood will follow. And they won’t harm anyone after I leave.”

“How do I know I can trust them?” Phoebe asked.

“He is the Source,” said one of the demons. “And he is a brother. He has ordered that we not harm the witches so long as he gets you. Once you have returned with him to the Underworld our fight with them is ended.”

Phoebe looked at Cole’s outstretched hand then at Piper and Paige. She knew there was only one way to protect them. She would have to go with Cole to the Underworld and hope that his word was good. But silently she vowed that if he betrayed her she would find a way to vanquish him even if it cost her her own life. She reached up and took Cole’s hand.

“There,” said Cole taking a firmer grip on her hand and releasing Piper, “that wasn’t so hard, was it?” He turned to the Brotherhood demons. “Remember my promise. They are not to be harmed. Once I have returned to the Underworld return as well.”

Without another word Cole shimmered and he and Phoebe vanished from the manor. The others tensed as they expected the two remaining Brotherhood demons would attack the moment Cole had left. Instead, one turned to Michael.

“The Source wishes to give you a message,” said the demon. “Your secret is exposed. Return to the Underworld again and you will not live to leave it.”

Without another word the two demons shimmered and were gone.

[noazmale]

TWENTY-ONE

“We have to do something,” Paige demanded. “He just took Phoebe. We can’t sit by and do nothing.”

“Relax,” said Leo. “You heard what he said. He wants her as his queen. I don’t think he’s going to hurt her.”

‘At least not for the moment,” said Michael. “That could change.”

“What do you mean?” Piper asked.

“”Every day the Source takes control a little bit more,” said Michael. “Very soon everything that was Cole Turner will be gone. That will leave only the Source. If that happens it won’t be long before Phoebe does something to displease him. And he won’t hesitate to kill her when that happens. And that may not even be the worst of it.”

“What could be worse than that?” Paige asked.

“One of the reasons you were able to defeat the Source in the first place,” Michael said, “is because he doesn’t understand humanity. Like Phoebe said, he could never understand humanity because he’s a demon.

“But that has all changed With Turner he has the understanding that he once lacked. And he has the pages from the Tome of the Ancients. But he’s still evil. Which means he still wants to rule over mankind. With his new found understanding of humans he may be impossible to beat.”

“How long before that happens?” Leo asked.

“That’s hard to tell,” said Michael. “But right now we have a bigger problem. The Source plans to strip the girls of their powers. All he has to do it cast the spell he has on Phoebe and it will permanently strip them all of their powers forever. We can’t let that happen. They’re the only ones strong enough to stop the Source.”

“What do we do?” Piper asked. “You certainly can’t go back down there now. And if we go down there Cole is liable to forget about his promise not to hurt us. He only did that to get Phoebe to go with him.”

“He won’t do anything just yet,” said Michael. “He’ll give her time to adjust to what’s going on. There’s still enough of Turner in him that he will hesitate before he does anything that harms her. Which means he won’t strip her powers right away. We have to act fast if we’re going to separate the Source from Turner and put a stop to him.”

“You have a plan all ready?” Paige asked.

“You forget,” said Michael. “I’ve been personal advisor to the Source of All Evil for more than sixty years. I think best on my feet. There’s a lot to do and very little time to do it in. It’s going to be dangerous. But I don’t think we have much choice.”

“We’re with you,” Leo said. “Just tell us what we need to do.”

“First,” said Michael, “we need a couple of spells.”

* * *

Phoebe sat in the empty chamber. It had been nearly two hours since Cole had brought them to the Underworld. He had said something about giving her time to adjust. That and some plans he had to take care of. He had then left her alone in the chamber with a demonic escort outside of course.

“The Source has said no one is to see the witch,” Phoebe heard one of the demon guards say.

“Surely that does not apply to me,” she heard the Seer respond. “It is because of me the Source has been successful so far.”

Nothing happened for a moment, and then the Seer entered the chamber flanked by two demons. Not the demons that stood guard at her door.

“Welcome, Phoebe,” said the Seer. “It’s so good to see you again.”

“Save it,” said Phoebe. “I’m only here to protect my sisters. Cole promises not to harm them if I came here with him.”

“Of course,” said the Seer. “And once your powers are gone you’ll have no reason to fear us any longer. You won’t be a threat to us any longer.”

“For how long?” Phoebe asked. “How long before the Source gets tired of me?”

“That’s not going to happen,” said Cole standing in the doorway to the chamber. With him were the two Brotherhood demons that had accompanied him to the manor. “As I said at the manor, you will rule with me forever.”

“Nothing is forever,” said Phoebe. “It’s only a matter of time.”

“What are you doing here?” Cole demanded of the Seer.

“I came to help you,” said the Seer. “The ascension draws near.”

“Yes,” said Cole. He turned to the Brotherhood demons. “Spread the word. Malevant is a traitor to the Underworld. He is to be vanquished on sight. I don’t care how many demons it takes. If he comes to the Underworld he is not to leave here alive.”

“No,” said the Seer.

“What?” Cole demanded. “You dare countermand my orders?”

“Forgive me, my Lord,” said the Seer. “But it would be precipitous and dangerous to let the Underworld know about his betrayal just yet. You have been accepted as the new Source in no small part because Malevant supports you. Imagine how the hierarchy will respond if they discover you no longer have that support.”

“Right,” said Cole thoughtfully.

“Not to mention,” said the Seer, “the fact that he has fooled everyone, including you, for more than six decades. If word about that should get out many may feel you are too weak to ever rule the Underworld. Even with the support of the Brotherhood you may find it impossible to rule.”

“Yes, of course,” said Cole. “You’re right. If they learn of Malevant’s betrayal right now I may be faced with a civil war.”

“We must also deal with them,” said the Seer, looking at Phoebe. “As long as the witches have their powers they are a threat. You must use the spell of the Ancients to strip them of their powers. Once you have done that, you need never again fear their intervention.”

“Perhaps you’re right,” said Cole. “Take Phoebe to the great hall.”

“What do you have in mind?” the Seer asked.

“I promised the hierarchy I would deal with the Charmed Ones,” said Cole. “They can witness my keeping that promise. We’ll gather in the great hall in a few minutes. Then I’ll use the spell while the entire hierarchy watches.”

“Very good,” said the Seer. “That can only strengthen your leadership as the Source. Torgas, take the witch to the great hall. See that she is unharmed until we arrive. We shall be there shortly.”

The two underlings with the Seer took Phoebe by the arms. Cautiously they escorted Phoebe out of the chamber and headed for the great meeting hall.

“Once her powers are gone,” Cole said, “she won’t be a threat any longer. But we must proceed with the Ascension Ceremony as soon as possible. Once the ceremony is complete I can announce Malevant’s betrayal.”

“Yes,” said the Seer. “But first we must deal with the witches. As long as they have their magic you are at risk. Once their magic is gone, we can turn our attention to other matters.”

“I’ll get the spell,” said Cole. “We need to finish this as quickly as possible. Gather the hierarchy. I’ll meet you in the great audience hall in a few minutes.”

The Seer bowed slightly and then turned and left the chamber. Cole thought about what was happening. Phoebe would resent him for what he was going to do. But once her magic was gone he could use the spell the Seer had provided him with to control her. She would accept him eventually. And nothing her sisters could do would change that.

Cole went to his private chamber and retrieved the page containing the spell from the Tome of the Ancients. Once this was finished Phoebe and her sisters would be as powerless as any mortal. And he knew that eventually she would come to accept him again.

Cole entered the great audience hall. It was the place traditionally used by the leader of the Underworld to address the leaders of each demonic faction. The eleven demons that had been there when his returned had been announced were present. As was a twelfth demon. The one that had replaced Kralor after Cole had vanquished him.

The Brotherhood bodyguards were also present. They were never far away from Cole. The Seer was also present along with the two demons that had brought Phoebe here. They stood on either side of her protecting her as well as guarding her. Most of the demons in this room would not hesitate to destroy her if given the chance.

“Leave us,” the Seer commanded of the two demons.

They bowed slightly and left the chamber. Cole moved up and stood in front of the gathering. The Seer moved off the dais and stood in the forefront of the gathering of demons.

“Earlier,” said Cole to the crowd, “I promised to rid us forever of the plagued of the Charmed Ones. I shall now keep that promise. This,” he held up the page with the spell, “contains the spell I mentioned. It will forever strip Melinda Warrens’ line of its’ power. And the Power of Three will never again be used to vanquish a demon.
“The spell is a generic stripping spell. It must be tailored to whatever creature it is being used against. I have all ready made the necessary modifications so that it will affect not only Phoebe, but also all of Melinda Warrens’ line. Once I cast this spell, their powers will be gone forever. And no power will be able to restore them.”

Cole turned and faced Phoebe.

“It’s really for the best,” he said. “You’ll see.”

“Get it over with,” said Phoebe.

Cole looked at the spell for a moment. Then he began to read the incantation that hadn’t been used since before man had walked the Earth.

“A witch before us with the Power of Three, remove this power and set us free.

“Unbind her powers from whence they began, and make her mortal unto time without end.”

The magic of the spell engulfed Phoebe as she stood glaring at Cole. It surrounded her and flashed varying colors of light. Within moments the magic detached itself from her and hovered in the air above her for a few moments. Then it simply faded from view as if it had never existed.

“It is finished,” said Cole. “The Halliwell witches are witches no more. The Power of Three is gone forever. And no power can ever restore it to them.”

The demonic hierarchy began to murmur amongst itself. Truly, Cole had proven he was the most powerful among them. So many demons had gone up against the Charmed Ones. Virtually all had been vanquished by these witches. Now they knew they would never again have to worry about the Power of Three. Cole had done what no other demon had been able to do in the past four years. He had defeated the Charmed Ones.

[noazmale]

TWENTY-TWO

“We should kill her,” voiced one demon in the gathering. “Just to make sure.”

“No one will harm her,” Cole ordered, stepping to the forefront of the dais. “The power of the Ancients is irresistible. It’s stronger than anything today. This spell permanently stripped the entire Halliwell line of their powers forever. And nothing can ever restore it.

“No demon will take retribution against the Charmed Ones. They are mortals now and of no threat to us. It will do no good to kill them now.”

“It will give us revenge for all they have done since they received their powers,” said the demon that had spoken first. “Revenge is part of our heritage. We have the right to exact vengeance on our enemies even if they no longer have any powers.”

“Your rights are what I say they are,” Cole said, his eyes flashing. “I am the Source. I speak for the Underworld. If you doubt that then challenge me now. Let us see who has the right to lead us.”

The demon didn’t say a word. He looked at Cole for a moment then stepped back. He clearly did not want to challenge Cole.

“Any demon that attempts to harm the Charmed Ones will answer to me personally,” said Cole. “I have promised Phoebe that her sisters won’t be harmed. I intend to keep that promise. The Halliwell manor is forbidden to all demons. And don’t misinterpret my actions for weakness. If any demon defies me he, or she, will live to regret it. I promise you that.”

Cole turned to one of the Brotherhood demons.

“Take her to her quarters,” said Cole. “Get her whatever she wants. We must make plans for the Ascension Ceremony. The ceremony must take place immediately, within the next few days. It will take time for the Elders to discover what has happened. Once they do they’ll try to take steps to protect other witches. We have to act before that happens.”

He turned to Phoebe.

“I shouldn’t be long,” he said. “Then we can sit down and talk.”

“Take your time,” said Phoebe, undisguised anger in her voice. “As far as I’m concerned we have nothing to talk about.”

“That will change,” said Cole, smiling.

As Cole turned to talk with the demonic hierarchy, the Brotherhood demon escorted Phoebe to her quarters.

* * *

“Well, that didn’t take as long as I thought,” said Cole, coming into the quarters Phoebe had been assigned.

Cole stopped short. Phoebe wasn’t alone. She sat in the chamber with Piper and Paige sitting on either side of her. The Seer was also there as were the two demons that had escorted Phoebe to the ceremony that had stripped them all of their powers.

“What are they doing here?” Cole demanded.

“You wish your queen to be happy,” said the Seer. “I felt she might be a bit more comfortable if her sisters were with her. I had Torgas bring her sisters here. Without their powers they are not a threat.”

“I see,” said Cole. “That was very thoughtful of you.”

“Simply trying to follow your wishes, my Lord,” said the Seer. “If you are to rule the Underworld you must be content. You have made it clear that your primary concern is your queens’ happiness. I have simply tried to facilitate that happiness as best I can.”

“Piper, Paige,” began Cole.

“Save it,” said Piper. “You’ve stripped us of our powers. Are we supposed to be grateful to you for that?”

“Not right now, no,” said Cole. “But you’ll soon come to see it’s for the best. Phoebe can tell you that you need never fear any demons again. Without your powers you’re no threat to them. And I have ordered that no demon is to attempt to take revenge on you for what you have done in the past.”

“And you expect them to just sit back and obey you, is that it?” Paige asked.

“They’ll obey me,” said Cole. “I’m their leader. They won’t dare disobey me. They know what will happen if they do.”

“And what about all the other witches?” Phoebe asked. “Not to mention all of the innocents we help? What about them? Are we supposed to be happy that you’ve left them powerless?”

“Innocents have nothing to fear from us,” said Cole. “They are as powerless as you are. As for other witches, I can’t help that. I’m sorry. They’re the enemy. You must understand that. Besides, they aren’t helpless. They still have their powers.”

“No thanks to you,” said Paige. “You guys should have listened to me. I told you he couldn’t be trusted. Now it’s too late.”

“This is no time for recriminations,” said Piper. “Cole, Phoebe doesn’t belong here. She’s not a demon. She belongs at home with us. You have to let her go.”

“I can’t do that,” said Cole. “As I said, she’s to be my queen.” He pulled out a paper and looked at it. “I’m sorry it has to be this way. But you’ll just continue to cause trouble unless I do something about it.”

“You said none of us were to be harmed?” Phoebe said.

“You won’t be,” said Cole. “It’s just a spell that will bring you around to my way of thinking. So that we can be happy together.”

“You mean a spell to brainwash us,” said Piper. “Is that what you call happiness? By keeping us as slaves against our wills?”

“It’s for the best,” said Cole.

“You keep saying that,” said Paige. “Tell us. Just how is this for the best?”

“It will keep you safe,” said Cole.

Phoebe looked at Piper and Paige. The Seer moved over to stand next to her servants who simply stood by patiently waiting. Cole seemed a bit nervous. The part of him that was still Cole Turner regretted what was happening. But the part that was the Source was relishing what was going to happen. Cole held up the paper and was preparing to incant the mesmerizing spell.

Suddenly the Seer formed a fireball. She cast it directly at Cole and he was engulfed by it. It didn’t vanquish him but it obviously hurt him. The paper with the spell on it vanished from the fire of the fireball. The Seer cast another fireball before Cole could react.

“Now,” she called out as she formed another fireball.

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige all pulled out pieces of paper. As the Seer continued to attack Cole without let up, the sisters cast their own spell.

“Light to darkness and darkness to light, a mortal is bound in an eternal fight.

“Vanquish the evil and set him free, we compel the unjoining by the Power of Three.”

Cole had just formed a fireball and was about to cast it at the Seer when the magic of the girls’ spell enveloped him. He screamed in agony as the fireball was extinguished. He fought vainly against the magic of the spell, dropping to his knees. For several moments he struggled against the magic.

Suddenly he began to divide. Within moments two Cole Turners lay on the floor in near exhaustion. They were virtually identical save that one has horrible scars on the left side of his face. Torgas, the demonic underling of the Seer, reached over and grabbed the unscarred Cole by the arm. As he did, the Seer cast another fireball at the scarred Cole engulfing him in the weapon.

“Traitor!” screamed the scarred Cole. “You have betrayed me and the Underworld. You shall die for you impudence.”

“Not today, my Lord,” said the Seer, “not today.”

The Seer reached over and grabbed her other underling by the arm. Before the scarred Cole could react, they shimmered and were gone from the chamber. At the same instant Paige took Piper and Phoebe by the arms and orbed them out of the Underworld. The scarred Cole howled in rage as he sat helplessly by and watched them vanish.

[noazmale]

TWENTY-THREE

Cole sat on the sofa in the living room with his head in his hands. His head was pounding and he felt like he had been dragged for miles. He looked around him. The Seer sat in a chair across from him, her two underlings standing next to her. Phoebe sat on the arm of the sofa next to Cole. Piper sat on the other side of Cole. Paige didn't seem to be present.

"Would someone care to explain to me what happened?" Cole asked, looking around him.

"It's very simple, my Lord," said the Seer. "You were foolish enough to listen to me." Suddenly the Seer changed form. Michael sat in her place. "Of course, it might have been a different story if I had been the real Seer."

"But the spell," Cole said, looking up at Phoebe. "I cast it on you. It should have stripped your powers. I don't understand."

"Oh, that," said Phoebe. "As you told the hierarchy, you had tailored it to strip the Halliwell witches of their powers." Suddenly Phoebe changed form, too. Leo sat on the arm of the sofa next to Cole. "But since I'm not a witch, it had no affect on me."

"Now I'm really confused," said Cole.

Just then Phoebe came out of the kitchen carrying a glass of water and some aspirin. She handed them to Cole.

"How do you feel, honey?" Phoebe asked.

"Like I've been run over by a Mac truck," said Cole. "I'm still not sure exactly what happened."

"It's a bit complicated," said Torgas. He, too, changed form and Paige stood in his place. "Leo and I impersonated two of the Seers' underlings while Michael impersonated the Seer. When we took Phoebe to the great meeting hall, Leo took Phoebe's place and we used a spell I wrote to make her look like the other underling."

"We had to put the Source off guard," said Michael. "The Seer told me she had to prepare a fertility potion for Phoebe. So that he would have an heir as soon as possible."

"While you were stripping Phoebe of her powers," said Piper, "the rest of us orbed to her quarters and waited. Confident that we weren't a threat to you, we waited for you to come comfort Phoebe. When they brought Leo back to Phoebe's quarters, we took our true identities. Leo and Jarrod took our places as the Seers underlings while Michael continued to impersonate the Seer."

"Phoebe, I'm so sorry," Cole said, taking Phoebe's hands in his. "It was like watching a movie. I could see and hear everything but I couldn't do anything about it. I could feel the Source taking control of me and it was all I could do not to be consumed by him."

"It's okay," said Phoebe. "Michael has explained everything. We know it wasn't you. It was the Source doing it all. You had no choice."

"I wish I could believe that," said Cole. "But I honestly can't say how much of my demonic half played a part in it."

"Believe it," said Michael. "I sensed two forces in you while the Source was possessing you. One was a terrible evil. That was obviously the Source. But I also sensed a great good. That had to have been you. The Source is a demon. There is no good in him."

"And I'm half demon," said Cole.

"Were half demon," Michael corrected. "Remember, Belthazor was stripped from you. But it was your love for Phoebe that kept you fighting against the Source. That proves there's good in you. As you once told Phoebe and her sisters I believe, demons can't love. It's not in their nature."

"Is it really over?" Cole asked. "I'm free of him forever?"

"For the moment," said Michael. "But we aren't out of the woods yet. He still has the pages from the Tome of the Ancients. How much do you remember of what happened?"

"Everything," said Cole. "The Seer had a vision about you. She uncovered your secret. That's how I knew . . . he know who you really were."

"I knew that was always a risk," said Michael. "Frankly, I'm surprised she hasn't had one before now. I've been very lucky."

"Okay, so far I understand just about everything," said Cole. "What I don't understand is who he is?"

He indicated the Seers' underling still standing next to Michael.

"Piper, would you mind," asked the underling.

"Oh, yeah, sure," Piper said. She snapped her fingers and the underling changed. "I guess in all the excitement I kind of forgot."

"I know you," said Cole. "You're Jarrod Parker. You came to see me a few days ago about having a will drawn up."

"Actually," said Michael, "Jarrod was doing a favor for me. I can explain that later. But he was very helpful in getting you away from the Source. In addition I hope he got what we need."

"I think so," said Jarrod. "It was in the forefront of his mind. It was very easy to get the information."

"Wait a minute," said Phoebe. "I thought your power was to be able to remove memories from peoples' minds?"

"Actually," said Jarrod, "my basic power is telepathy. It's just a natural extension of my telepathy. Just as Piper's explosive ability is a natural extension of her freezing ability."

"Oh, that makes sense," said Paige.

"He keeps the pages locked away in a secret antechamber to his main chamber," said Jarrod.

"I remember that," said Cole. "He had the chamber constructed several years ago then vanquished the demons who created it so no one would ever know of its existence."

"No wonder I haven't been able to find them," said Michael. "We have to get those pages from the Source. There's no telling what he plans to do with them."

"I can tell you," said Cole. "I seem to have his memories still. Do you remember Aames?"

"He was the warlock stealing witches powers so he could decimate the White Lighters," said Leo. "It was because of the girls' help in vanquishing him that the Elders finally agreed to let Piper and me get married."

"Yes," said Cole. "Well, the Source is after a much bigger prize. It's not enough for him to decimate the White Lighters. He's after the Elders. He thinks if he can use that power stripping spell of the Ancients on one of them he can strip them all of their powers."

"And it might just work," said Michael. "The Elders' powers are all connected. That's why they can do so much. They are able to combine their powers much like you do with a Power of Three spell."

"Wouldn't that make them more powerful than even us?" Paige asked.

"No," said Michael. "It's your blood connection that gives the Power of Three its punch. Your unconditional love for each other that makes it so potent. Not even the Elders have that.

"But if he can use that spell on one of the Elders, he could conceivably strip them all of their powers. And White Lighters get their powers from the Elders. If he strips the Elders he'll also strip all White Lighters. Only Paige and I would be immune since we were born with our powers."

"And with no White Lighters to help them," said Leo, "every witch would be in danger. Demons could overwhelm them. A lot of witches could die."

"And because of the nature of the spell and its' power," said Michael, "it would forever prevent any future Elders. The spell actually undoes the magic that created them in the first place. It won't exist any longer. Which means there would be no way to replace them if he does strip them of their power."

"That's his plan," said Cole. "And only he can get into the antechamber with the pages in it. One of the pages is a protection spell that protects whatever it's cast on from anyone the caster wishes. He's used it to protect the antechamber from every being but himself."

"We have to figure a way to get into that chamber," said Michael.

"How?" Piper asked. "We certainly can't go down there. And it's a pretty safe bet that if you show up again you'll be killed on sight. I'm not sure even your glamour ability will protect you this time. There's no way for us to get there without at least some of us getting hurt. Or killed."

"Maybe there is a way," said Michael. "I have to go check on something. It's a long shot but it just might work. While I'm gone be on your guard. The Source is not going to be happy we've separated him from Cole. It's very possible he'll send some demons to try and kill you."

"Don't worry about us," said Piper. "We've dealt with demons for a long time now. Any show up here and it's vanquish first and forget about any questions."

"Good," said Michael. "I shouldn't be gone long."

"Any idea what he has in mind?" Paige asked Leo as Michael orbed out of the manor.

"Not a clue," said Leo. "But his plans are legendary in the Underworld. And as you've seen yourself, while they can be a bit unorthodox, they can also be quite effective."

"Well, Cole needs some rest right now," said Phoebe. "After what he's been through he must be exhausted."

"I am kind of tired," said Cole. "You can fill me in on everything else after I get some sleep. If no one minds."

"Sleep as long as you want," said Piper. "In the mean time I think we need to set up a magical alarm system. So we know if anyone, or anything, enters the manor."

"Good idea," said Paige. "I'll get started on that right away."

"I need to go see the Elders," said Leo. "They need to be made aware of the turn of events."

"Well, as much as I hate to do it," said Piper, "thank Thaddeus for us, will you? If not for him we might not have been ready when Cole, I mean the Source, attacked."

"I'll do that," said Leo smiling.

As Leo orbed out of the manor Phoebe took Cole up to their room while Piper and Paige began to enchant the manor to warn them of any intruders entered.

[noazmale]

TWENTY-FOUR

“I really am sorry, honey,” said Cole. “You have no idea how badly I feel. I was trying to hard to be the man you want me to be. After all this I don’t know how I’m ever going to make it up to you. Or how you can ever trust me again.”

“Stop that,” said Phoebe. “It wasn’t you. It was the Source. I know you did everything you could to stop him. He was just too powerful for you, that’s all. He’s the Source of All Evil. It took the Power of Three to vanquish him the first time. There’s no way you could resist that.”

“I hate to say it,” said Paige from the doorway to Phoebe’s room, “but she has a point. I didn’t trust you Cole because I thought you had fallen back into your old demonic ways. But Michael explained it to us. He said it wasn’t you. He said it was the Source.”

“She’s right,” said Piper standing next to Paige. Leo was standing behind Piper. “We’re familiar with possession. We know that it’s the creature doing the possessing that’s responsible not the host. We never trusted you completely because you had been a demon for a hundred years. I guess we just never believed you could change.”

“Phoebe did,” said Leo. “She never lost faith in you.”

“I appreciate that,” said Cole. “But I let him do it. I should have been strong enough to resist him. I was an upper level demon for a hundred years. I was able to vanquish the Triad. I should have found a way to stop him.”

“Do you remember me telling you about the Woogy?” Phoebe asked. “The creature that lives in the basement?”

“Yes,” said Cole.

“I remember when it possessed me,” said Phoebe. “It was the same way. I could hear and see everything that was happening. And I nearly killed Prue and Piper. But it wasn’t me. It was the Woogy.”

“And when Barbas, the fear demon, attacked us,” said Piper. “When he used his power we were literally frozen with fear. Until we learned to overcome him there was nothing we could do. We weren’t strong enough to stop him until mom helped Prue.”

“Well, I’ve never been possessed,” said Paige, “or suffered attacks from Barbas. But I do remember when I first became a Charmed One. I borrowed the Book of Shadows and took it to work to punish one of my co-workers. Only it backfired on me. But I still remember the feeling of power I felt. It was almost intoxicating. I could easily have been swayed to evil.”

“Cole,” said Leo, “we can all understand what you went through. I’ve been a White Lighter for more than sixty years. I’ve seen my share of possessions and people who were overcome when they got too much power too fast. And in your case it wasn’t just that. You were possessed by the most powerful demon in the Underworld. We can only imagine what you must have been going through.”

“Thanks, all of you,” said Cole. “Considering everything that’s happened in the past few weeks I couldn’t really blame you if you didn’t trust me any more.”

“I guess we were just too wrapped up in our own lives to really see what was happening to you,” said Piper. “What with our jobs, fighting demons, and everything else we were just so distracted to see that you were going through problems of your own.”

“That means a great deal to me,” said Cole. “But I still plan to make it up to all of you. Especially you, Phoebe. I’ve put you through the most.”

“Well,” said Phoebe, looking at Piper and Paige, “I realize it was probably the Source that asked me to marry him. But like you said, you were in there, too. So I figure an appropriate punishment would be if I held you to that proposal. You can spend the rest of your life making it up to me.”

“You still want to get married?” Cole asked. “Even after everything that’s happened?”

“I fell in love you, Cole,” said Phoebe. “That has never changed. And now there’s no reason for us not to go through with the wedding.”

“Once we finish with the Source,” said Piper. “Unless we can stop him it won’t make much difference what plans you make.”

“What about you guys?” Cole asked looking at Piper, Paige, and Leo. “If Phoebe and I get married I’ll be a part of this family. Would you guys be okay with that?”

“Just don’t get possessed by the Source of All Evil again and I think I’ll be fine with it,” said Piper.

“Well,” said Paige. “I’m still not convinced you’ve changed completely. I understand that what’s happened recently wasn’t exactly your fault. But like you said, you were an upper level demon for a hundred years. I guess I’ll have to see that you’ve changed for myself before I can trust you completely. But if Phoebe is willing to take you back I guess I can live with it.”

“Leo?” Cole asked.

“Who am I to argue with the Charmed Ones?” Leo asked. “I’m like Paige. I’ll have to see that you’ve changed before I can accept it completely. But I figure you deserve a second chance. Everyone deserves the right to show that they’ve changed.”

“Thanks,” said Cole. “And I have changed. I’ll prove that to you. Starting with helping you stop the Source.”

“Oh no,” said Phoebe. “You’re mortal now. And you were just possessed by him once. I’m not taking the chance of that happening again. You aren’t going anywhere near him.”

“There must be some way for me to help,” said Cole.

“Let’s just wait until Michael gets back,” said Piper. “We need to know what he’s planning before we make any decision.”

“And right now my future husband needs some rest,” said Phoebe. “So I suggest we all get out of here and let him get some sleep. We can deal with the Source once Michael returns.”

The four left the room to allow Cole to get some sleep. Jarrod had returned home. Michael had explained there was nothing else he could do and he wasn’t equipped to deal with the Source. Michael didn’t want to put him at any more risk than necessary.

[noazmale]

TWENTY-FIVE

“Are you sure you don’t want us to reset the alarm?” Piper asked Michael as they sat talking in the living room. “You said yourself that the Source might send demons after us.”

“I know,” said Michael. “But I’m expecting someone to show up soon. Someone who might just be able to help us.”

“Sounds mysterious,” said Paige. “Just who are you expecting to show up?”

“You might not like it,” said Michael. “But desperate times call for desperate measures. It’s risky. But I think we need to take some risks if we’re going to beat the Source.”

“Your plans are always risky,” said Cole. “Whether as Michael or Malevant you always seem to come up with the riskiest plans.”

“The greater the prize the riskier the plan,” said Michael. “And this is the greatest prize of all. The survival of the forces of good everywhere. So, yes, the plan is going to be risky.”

“So just who are these guests you’re expecting?” Piper asked.

Before Michael could answer three demons shimmered into the entryway. One stood in the forefront flanked by the other two. Everyone in the room was immediately on their feet. Piper’s hands came up as she prepared to vanquish the intruders.

“Easy,” said Michael, grabbing Piper’s hands, “these are the guests I was speaking of.”

“We’re here,” said the foremost demon. “We understand you wish to speak with us. We’ll listen to what you have to say.”

“Baldasor?” Cole questioned. “Kempac, Nelsar? What are you doing here?”

“Hello, brother,” said Baldasor, smiling. “If that’s who you really are. Mother sends her regards.”

“Baldasor?” Phoebe questioned. “Your brother?”

“Brother by blood,” said Baldasor, “and brother by virtue of the Brotherhood of the Thorn. I must admit, Malevant, I was intrigued when your agent came to me. And the story was even more intriguing. Is it true? Has the Source been forced from you, brother?”

“It’s true,” said Cole.

“And how are we to know this is true?” Baldasor asked. “How do we know this is not some trick by the Charmed Ones to try and vanquish our new leader?”

“You know me, brother,” said Cole. “We grew up together. In a way you were a role model for me. What I always considered to be the perfect demon.”

“A fact that is well known in the Underworld,” said Baldasor. “And since the traitor has been revealed, I know he could have coached you on what to say. So that we would be easily swayed.”

“I’m no traitor,” said Michael. “I was a spy. There is a difference.”

“Still,” said Baldasor, “how are we to know he is who he claims? I have spoken with the new Source. I am convinced he is who he claims. What do you offer to show me that has changed?”

“You want proof?” Cole asked stepping up to his brother. “You want me to show you that I am really your brother and not some pretender? Fine. Come on, then. Demon or not I’ll show you who I really am.”

“You don’t have any powers,” said Baldasor. “How could you hope to stand against me?”

“Cole, don’t,” pleaded Phoebe.

“I know what I’m doing,” said Cole. “Come on, demon. Let’s see what you’ve got. And I’ll show you I’m just as good as you are.”

Baldasor looked at Cole for a moment. It appeared that he might even take Cole up on his offer. Suddenly a broad smile broke out on Baldasors’ face. He broke out in laughter and put his hand on Cole’s shoulder.

“I am convinced,” Baldasor said. “I doubt even the great Malevant would know that little bit of information.”

“Okay, confused here,” said Paige.

“When Belthazor was about ten I accused him of not being a true demon,” said Baldasor. “He was just a boy. I had all ready established myself in the Underworld and was a member of the Brotherhood. I told him he would never be a true demon because of his father.”

“I thought you might have forgotten,” said Cole. “When he claimed I wasn’t a true demon I said pretty much the same thing to him that I just said to him. And I was serious. I still couldn’t control my powers completely but I was ready to go toe-to-toe with him to prove I was as much a demon as he was. He could have smashed me like a bug.”

“Instead,” said Baldasor, “I recognized the true demon in him. I knew that he would one day make his mark in the Underworld. Little did I realize then just how great that mark would be.”

“Okay, enough of this foolishness,” said Piper. “What do you want?”

“I asked them here,” said Michael. “They agreed to serve the new Source because they believed he was Cole. That he was a member of their order. And as they always say. . .”

“Once a brother, always a brother,” finished Baldasor. “Yes, we agreed to serve the Source as his personal bodyguard. But if he has been forced from my brother it means he is no longer a member of the order. That could change the complexion of our service to him.”

“We have given our pledge,” said the demon named Kempac. “The Brotherhood does not go back on its’ pledge.”

“We pledged to serve Belthazor,” said Baldasor. “If the Source no longer possesses him, then the Source is no longer Belthazor.”

“Agreed,” said Nelsar. “We turned from the Source once before. When he ordered us to vanquish Belthazor. That has not changed. If it truly is the Source resurrected, then our loyalty to him is in question.”

“Especially since he’ll probably try to get rid of your once he’s gone through the Ascension Ceremony,” said Michael. “For your betrayal of him.”

“He does,” said Cole. “Once he has the power of the Underworld he plans to disband the order. And he’s going to vanquish as many of you as he can find. He has a long memory and holds a grudge for a very long time.”

“Then we must talk,” said Baldasor. “We told you before we believed he was insane. That makes him too dangerous to rule as the Source. But we cannot simply vanquish him. In the first place he is too powerful. In the second place, the demonic hierarchy must be convinced it is in their best interest. Otherwise they would look upon us as traitors.”

“That’s why I asked you to come here,” said Michael. “You know, of course, that he has pages from the Tome of the Ancients.”

“Yes,” said Baldasor, looking at the sisters. “We believed he had stripped them of their powers forever. Apparently that is not true. Perhaps these pages are not as powerful as he says.”

“Oh, they’re that powerful,” said Michael. “It didn’t work because Leo took Phoebe’s place in the great audience hall. Since he was trying to strip a Charmed One of her powers it didn’t work on him.”

“Clever as always, Malevant,” said Baldasor.

“I go by Michael now,” said Michael. “Malevant has been exposed.”

“Only to the Brotherhood,” said Baldasor. “The hierarchy and the population at large have not learned of your true identity. Yet.”

“That might give us an edge,” said Michael. “When I was impersonating the Seer he must have agreed with what I said about revealing my identity. He still needs Malevant’s aid to be protected until he can go through the Ascension Ceremony.”

“Yes,” said Baldasor. “And if it is the Source reborn he may put us at risk again by his obsession with the Charmed Ones. We cannot allow that to happen. Before, he used the Hollow even though we all knew the dangers. With the power of the Ancients he might try something even more foolish.”

“Like taking out the Elders?” Cole questioned.

“Is he a fool?” Kempac asked. “To go against the Elders themselves? That would risk exposing magic to the world. Exposing us. Not even the Source would be so foolish as to do that.”

“We didn’t think he was foolish enough to use the Hollow, either,” said Michael. “But that’s exactly what he did.”

“He must be stopped,” said Nelsar. “What he proposes is too risky. But Baldasor is right. If we are to vanquish the Source we must have the support of the demonic hierarchy. Or we risk being vanquished by them for our betrayal.”

“That’s why I asked you to come here,” said Michael. “I have a plan that might work. But we need one more player before we can discuss it. He should be arriving any time now.”

As if on cue a figured shimmered into the entryway. Everyone turned to look at him. Baldasor smiled.

“It appears your messenger has finally arrived,” said Baldasor.

“Hey, everyone,” said the man. “Hope I’m not too late. Baldasor said he had to be convinced you were telling the truth before he agreed to help. I just figured I’d give you a little time to get things sorted out.”

“Right on time,” said Michael. “I believe you all ready know everyone here.”

“That I do,” said the man. “Piper, Phoebe, Paige. Leo it’s good to see you again. And of course there’s Cole. How have you been, father?”

“Peter Coleson?” Phoebe questioned, staring at Cole’s son.

[noazmale]

TWENTY-SIX

“Peter,” said Cole. “The last time you were here….”

“I said I would kill you one day,” finished Peter. “I’ve had time to reflect on everything that happened. And Malevant, or rather Michael, has convinced me you deserve a second chance. I’m not sure I agree with him. But I can’t discount it either.”

“You’ve been busy,” Piper said to Michael.

“To be honest,” said Michael, “I first enlisted Peter thinking he might be useful to me as Malevant later on. He’s a demon outside the normal mainstream of most demons.”

“Quarter demon,” Peter corrected.

“Just like your father,” said Phoebe. “He’s always correcting us, too. He’s not a demon. He’s a former demon.”

“Cole,” said Peter, “you will never be my dad. But you are my father. And Michael says that what’s going on affects not only you but the sisters as well.”

“More than that,” said Leo. “If the Source is able to complete his plans all the forces of good will be at risk. How much did Michael tell you?”

“As much as he could in the short amount of time he had,” said Peter. “About the pages from the Tome of the Ancients and his possession of Cole. How they were able to force the Source out of Cole. And how he has to be stopped. I’m not sure how much help I can be but I’m willing to do what I can.”

“The boy is right,” said Baldasor. “Most demons do not consider him demon. They would trust him even less than a warlock. And you know warlocks are not the most influential of our kind.”

“But he has one advantage that not even the Charmed Ones have,” said Michael.

“What’s that?” Peter asked.

“You’re the son of the Source,” said Michael. “I’m sure there will be many demons coming to you trying to get in good with him. Your existence is known in the Underworld. Many demons feel it’s only a matter of time before you succumb to your evil side. When that happens you could have a lot of pull in the Underworld.”

“How does that help us?” Paige asked.

“It will take some time to arrange,” said Michael. “But Peter can be very helpful. He can distract the Source while we get the pages from the Tome of the Ancients. Once we have those we can deal with him.”

“That will not be easy,” said Baldasor. “The Source has not informed the hierarchy of his being forced out of Cole. He’s afraid if they learn the power to strip the Charmed Ones failed he will loose his advantage.”

“That makes sense,” said Leo. “They think the girls no longer have their power because of that spell. If they learn they still have their powers they’d think the spell was a fake.”

“Yes,” said Baldasor. “And it is the power of the Ancients that the hierarchy is counting on to get rid of the Elders. Without the Elders witches everywhere will be at risk.”

“But he’ll have to deal with us eventually,” said Piper. “He knows the spell didn’t work. He also knows that eventually that will come out. As long as we’re still alive we’re at risk.”

“Yes,” said Kempac. “And he has plans to deal with you. He has not told us exactly what he plans but we know it will be soon.”

“So we’re running short of time,” said Michael. “We have to get those pages back within the next few days.”

“Getting them is impossible,” said Baldasor. “They are sealed in a chamber that only the Source can enter. And he has enlisted the powers of Vision demons for protection.”

“That’s not good,” said Michael.

“What are Vision demons?” Phoebe asked.

“They are demons with different types of vision,” said Nelsar. “Infrared, x-ray vision, some have a limited precognitive ability. They are a sub-sect of demons that are born with their peculiar abilities.”

“Yes,” said Michael. “But they all have one ability. They can see a creature’s true form no matter what form that creature takes. They are used to protect against shape shifters or people using magic to alter their form.”

“The Source has some near him all the time,” said Baldasor. “And there are at least two that guard the entrance to the chamber holding the pages. And several very powerful demons to deal with anyone trying to gain entrance to that chamber.”

“Which means even a White Lighter can’t get in there,” said Leo.

“Yes,” said Baldasor. “The demons guarding the chamber have instructions to destroy any even attempting to gain admittance to the chamber.”

“I remember that,” said Cole. “He was afraid some demon might find he had them before he was ready to reveal them to the Underworld. And that someone might try to steal them for themselves.”

“He did this before he was forced out of you?” Michael asked.

“Yes,” said Cole.

“Okay,” said Michael. “Then the plan is simple. Peter can distract the Source, keeping him occupied so he won’t go to the chamber. While he’s doing that, the girls can be making preparations to vanquish him. Without those pages and until he goes through the Ascension Ceremony he’s just another demon.

“He hasn’t informed the Underworld about me yet. Which means he can’t count on any of them for help. He’ll have to kill you himself or risk the hierarchy learning that your powers haven’t been stripped.”

“The Brotherhood knows of it,” said Nelsar. “The guards outside his chamber saw the witches use their power. They orbed out before the guards could assist.”

“Does he know that you’re aware he and Cole have been separated?” Michael asked.

“I do not think so,” said Nelsar. “He knows we only serve him because he is a brother. Were that to change he could not be assured of our loyalty.”

“Another advantage,” said Michael. “Once we have the pages we lure him here. In the manor the girls are the strongest. They should be able to vanquish him as they did the first time. Especially since they know he’s coming this time.”

“How do we lure him here?” Paige asked.

“We let him know we have the pages from the Tome of the Ancients,” said Michael. “He won’t be able to ignore that. It’s how he plans to gain control of the Underworld again. Without them, as I said, he’s just another demon. Until the Ascension Ceremony any other demon can challenge him for the throne. And he won’t have had time enough to gather enough of the hierarchy to his side yet.”

“That’s true,” said Kempac. “I was there when he took the throne the first time. It took him months to gather enough high level demons to his cause to make a bid for the throne. I think this time he’s counting on the power of those pages to keep anyone from challenging him this time.”

“Exactly,” said Michael. “Once he’s been through the Ascension Ceremony he will be able to do whatever he wants. It won’t matter then if the hierarchy learns of my betrayal or that your powers haven’t been stripped. He’ll have the power of the Underworld to back him up. Plus the pages. No demon would dare challenge him then. We have to do this before the Ascension Ceremony. Any idea when he plans to have it?”

“As quickly as possible,” said Baldasor. “They are making the preparations as we speak. In three, perhaps four days they will be ready. He has commanded that all be in attendance to witness his ascension.”

“Baldasor,” said Michael, “if we’re going to pull this off we’re going to need your help. And the help of the Brotherhood. We need to put our differences aside for the moment. Call a temporary truce. If we don’t stop the Source, not only will the girls be in danger. He’ll destroy the Brotherhood eventually as well. Can we count on your support in stopping him?”

Baldasor looked at Michael for a moment, then at Cole. He was considering the matter very seriously. He looked at Kempac and Nelsar for a moment. The other two demons looked at Baldasor for a moment, and then looked down at the floor.

“I cannot speak officially for the Brotherhood,” said Baldasor. “Teltrick has assumed leadership since Raynor was vanquished. But I believe he will agree with us. We share a common enemy. What is that old human adage? ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend’? We may not be friends. But I believe you can rely on the assistance of the Brotherhood to stop the Source.”

“Oh, gee, the word of a demon,” said Paige sarcastically. “That makes me feel a whole lot better.”

“Remember what I told your sister when we were here last,” said Baldasor. “Not all demons are without honor. Especially when it comes to the Brotherhood of the Thorn. We disobeyed the Source to vanquish Cole because that would have brought dishonor on the Brotherhood. I have given you our bond. We shall honor that bond until this task is finished.”

“He’s right,” said Cole. “The Brotherhood does not give its word easily or lightly. But when they do give it, they keep it.”

“But you’re breaking your word to obey the Source,” said Phoebe.

“We are breaking nothing,” said Kempac. “Our word was that we would serve Belthazor as long as he ruled as the Source. He is no longer the Source. Our pledge to him is discharged.”

“What about the others?” Michael asked.

“I cannot speak for them,” said Baldasor. “But if Teltrick chooses not to assist you, you can still count on the three of us. And I know of other Brotherhood demons that will join us.”

“Won’t that cause dissension in the Brotherhood?” Leo asked.

“No,” said Baldasor. “If Teltrick chooses not to join he will not order the Brotherhood to interfere. He will allow each member to make their own decision.”

“Good,” said Michael. “Now, we need to make some preparations. Time is short and we have a lot to do to get ready for the Source.”

“Aren’t you forgetting one thing?” Phoebe asked. “No one but the Source can get into that chamber. Even if everything goes as planned, which it rarely does, we still have no way to get the pages from him.”

“Of course we do,” said Michael smiling. He looked over at Cole. “We have the Source himself to get them for us.”

Phoebe got a very sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

[noazmale]

TWENTY-SEVEN

Two demons stood guard outside the private chamber of the Source. They were Brotherhood demons that were tasked with preventing anyone from entering the chamber unbidden. With them stood a smaller demon. It was short for a human and its eyes were a strange aquamarine color.

“Afternoon, fellas,” said Peter, walking up to the two as if he hadn’t a care in the world. “I’d like to speak to your boss if you don’t mind.”

The Brotherhood demons looked at the smaller demon that was looking intently at Peter.

“He is demon,” announced the Vision demon finally.

“I know you,” said one of the Brotherhood demons. “You represented a demon I know in the human courts. And did a very effective job of it I hear.”

“Yeah, I do that quite a bit,” said Cole. “The pay is good. And sometimes you can’t just vanquish those who get in your way. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to have a word with the Source.”

“Be gone,” said the other Brotherhood demon. “I know of you as well. You’re only a quarter demon. Even less than a warlock. Leave here before we vanquish you for your insolence.”

“Look, pea brain,” said Peter, “if you know who I am then you also know who my father is. And while I may not be a full-blooded demon like the three of you, I still have a special connection to the demon in there. Keep threatening me and he may not find it so amusing. Ya’ really want to take that chance?”

The two demons looked at each other for a moment.

“Wait here,” said the first one.

He stepped into the chamber while Peter waited patiently outside. After a moment the demon came back out.

“He is to be granted admittance,” said the demon. “But be warned. Try anything and you will never leave here alive.”

“Boy, you guys are just a barrel of laughs,” said Peter as he walked into the chamber.

The Source was sitting in the back of the chamber. He got up as Peter entered the room. He looked exactly like Cole. Except he had scars on the left side of his face. He was wearing the dark gray robes the old Source had worn constantly but he didn’t keep the hood drawn.

“Hey, dad,” said Peter, looking around, “love what you’ve done with the place.”

“Peter,” said the Source. “I must admit I’m surprised to see you here. After our little encounter the last time I thought this would be the last place you’d want to be.”

“Save all the father-son bonding,” said Peter. “I know you aren’t really Cole Turner. So my differences with him don’t apply.”

“Very well,” said the Source. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

“I’ve been thinking,” said Peter. “Since our last encounter, as you put it. You’ve come a long ways. From a former demon with no powers to leader of the Underworld. You may not be Cole Turner but I guess in some ways that all still applies to you.”

“Okay,” said the Source. “That doesn’t explain what you’re doing here.”

“Simple,” said Peter. “I came to join you.”

“You said you wanted nothing to do with the Underworld,” said the Source.

“Yeah, well, that was before,” said Peter. “I didn’t really fit in the Underworld or the mortal world. You can change all that. As the Source you can. If I were a demon with some authority I wouldn’t have to bow and scrape to other demons. And I wouldn’t have to put up with humans who only want to use you for what they can get out of you.”

“You’re singing a different tune from the last time,” said the Source.

“When you tell the person you love most in the whole world what you are,” said Peter, “and she looks at you with disgust in her eyes and says she never wants to see you again, that can kind of change your outlook on things.”

“So,” said the Source, “you have discovered that humans can be quite fickle.”

“Yeah,” said Peter. “I tried to be one of them. Even gave up my lucrative law practice to provide legal surfaces to the poor and indigent. Not exactly the roaring success I had envisioned.”

“They didn’t appreciate your altruistic motives?” the Source asked.

“All I know is they didn’t appreciate what I did for them,” said Peter. “They’re ungrateful and selfish. And when things didn’t go their way they blamed me. Now, I can handle that when I was getting paid for it. It’s part of the territory. But did they even appreciate that I had made the attempt? Not in the least. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do until I learned you had become the Source.”

“So what is it you think I can do for you?” the Source asked.

“Look,” said Peter, “no on ever has to know you aren’t really my father. In fact, it kind of works to my advantage a lot of the time. A lot of demons are going to approach me. Hoping to curry favor with you. I can be a big help to you.”

“Perhaps,” said the Source. “Just what position do you think you’d be best suited for?”

“Second-in-command, of course,” said Peter. “Answerable only to you. I am your son after all. In a manner of speaking. The heir to the throne, to coin a phrase. Seems to me that’s the best position for me.”

“That’s a pretty big promotion,” said the Source. “From a quarter demon whose considered almost a pariah to second to me? There are other more powerful demons that think they deserve that position. Even if they believe you are my son you have to give me more than that.”

“How about if I give you what you want most?” Peter asked.

“And what would that be?” asked the Source.

“The Charmed Ones,” said Peter. “And the traitor, Malevant.”

The Source looked at Peter. Very few knew the truth about the Charmed Ones and Malevant. They were secrets he had to keep well hidden until after the Ascension Ceremony if he hoped to regain his position as the true Source.

“What about them?” the Source asked.

“I know all about them,” said Peter. “Like the fact that Malevant isn’t who you’ve always thought he was. How the Charmed Ones still have their powers, even though you supposedly stripped them. How the demonic hierarchy would probably tear you limb from limb if they found out.”

“You’re threatening me?” questioned the Source.

“Not at all,” said Peter. “Just making a point. It wouldn’t do me much good to expose all this. If you don’t go through the Ascension Ceremony I go back to being a bastard. I’m looking for more than that.”

“You said you could give them to me,” said the Source. “How do you plan to accomplish that?”

“By telling you what they’re planning to do,” said Peter. “You don’t think they’re just sitting around waiting for you, do you? I know what they’re planning.”

“And how would you know that?” the Source asked.

“Because,” said Peter, “they think I’m helping them. I’m supposed to keep you busy while they try to get the pages from the Tome of the Ancients you have hidden away. I keep you busy here, they steal the pages, and then they vanquish you.”

“They can’t get the pages,” said the Source. “Only I can enter that chamber. And it is closely guarded.”

“Yeah,” said Peter, “but you’re forgetting something. Physically, you and my father are virtually identical. Which means he can get into that chamber as easily as you can. That’s their plan. While I keep you busy up here they plan to have him sneak into the chamber and steal the pages.”

The Source closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment.

“No one has entered the chamber in hours,” said the Source.

“Of course not,” said Peter. “They’re still making their plans. When they’re ready, I’m supposed to come back here and keep you occupied. This visit was supposed to let you know what the deal was I wanted. I was supposed to pretend that you were my father and that I’ve had a change of heart. That the demonic side of me finally won out over the human side. Then I was supposed to give you time to think about the deal and come back for your answer. That’s when they plan to strike.”

“Very clever,” said the Source. “It sounds like one of Malevant’s plans.”

“It is,” said Peter. “Only he goes by Michael now.”

“And when do they plan to make this attempt?” the Source asked.

“In two days,” said Peter. “It’s going to take them that long to set up the trap they have planned for you. Once they get the pages they’ll let you know they have them. When you come to get them back they plan to vanquish you.”

“A clever plan,” said the Source. “Why would you warn me of this? I thought you were on their side?”

“I’m on my side,” said Peter. “Besides I want something else. In addition to being your second-in-command.”

“And what would that be?” asked the Source.

“I want to be the one to kill Cole,” said Peter. “I owe him for what he did to my mother. Last time the Charmed Ones stopped me. But I made a vow that one day I’d kill him. Once you’ve taken care of the Charmed Ones I get him. And he pays for all the years my mother waited in vain for him to return thinking she had done something wrong to drive him away.”

“Vengeance?” the Source asked. “That’s what this is all about? Vengeance on the man who wronged you?”

“Why not?” Peter asked. “I spent nearly fifty years trying to make him pay for what he did. Now I have the chance. And a chance to find my place. To be what I was destined to be.”

“I always knew your demonic half would win out,” said the Source. “Turner had his love for his witch to keep him on the side of good. You, apparently, do not have that catalyst.”

“Like I said,” said Peter, “when the person you love most in the world hates you for what you are, it changes your perspective. So, do we have a deal? I tell you what I know of their plans and in return I get to be your second-in-command and the chance to kill my father. What do you say?”

“It seems we have a deal,” said the Source.

“Great,” said Peter. “Now, here’s what they plan to do.”

[noazmale]

TWENTY-EIGHT

“Can we trust him?” asked the demon looking at Peter suspiciously.

“If you were there you wouldn’t need to ask that, Callan,” said the Source. “His hatred of his father is worthy of a demon. I still have Turners’ memories. I know how hard this boy tried to kill him the last time. As you know, hatred can very often twist someone, especially a human. And with his demonic heritage he would be inclined toward evil anyway.”

“So why come to me?” asked Callan. “I’m not in the hierarchy. There must be other demons more powerful that can help you.”

“Yes,” said the Source, “but then I would have had to reveal to them my secret. That I was forced out of Turner. After I supposedly stripped the Charmed Ones of their powers. As I explained, they tricked us all by using a White Lighter instead of one of the witches. Many of the hierarchy would not be so willing to accept the truth. They would feel I might have betrayed them. I need someone I can count on.”

“And how do you know you can count on me?” asked Callan.

“Because,” said the Source, “you help me rid myself of the Charmed Ones without involving the hierarchy, and I’ll give you what you’ve always wanted.”

“Malevants’ domain?” questioned Callan. “He won’t like that.”

“He will have nothing to say about it,” said the Source. “Malevant is a traitor to the Underworld. He works with the witches to vanquish me. You’ve always wanted to rule his domain. To be personal advisor to the Source. I’m offering you that opportunity now. Once the Charmed Ones have been destroyed and I take the Ascension Ceremony, you will rule in Malevants’ place. And you will be head of the new Triad.”

“You must want this very badly,” said Callan. “Those are very prominent positions in the Underworld.”

“Yes, I do,” said the Source. “The Brotherhood of the Thorn betrayed me once. Allowed the Charmed Ones to vanquish me. I have not forgotten that. But I need them right now to maintain control in the Underworld until I can go through the Ascension Ceremony. Once that happens I plan to get rid of them. I will need someone I can trust to take their place.”

“I assume,” said Callan, “that I will get the necessary power to hold onto my new position once I’ve taken it.”

“There will be only two demons more powerful than you,” said the Source. “Myself, of course. And Coleson. You will have to answer to him but all other demons will answer to you.”

“Coleson,” Callan repeated. “Not a demonic name. It’s a human name.”

“He will have an appropriate demonic name once I take power,” said the Source. “What I need from you now are enough demons to take care of the Charmed Ones once and for all.”

“None of my underlings have the power to kill the Charmed Ones,” said Callan. “Only Malevant had that kind of power.”

“But I do,” said the Source. “They need not kill the Charmed Ones. I will need them to keep the witches busy so that I can use my power against them. I need kill only one to end the Power of Three. It matters little which one. But once I had killed one of them the other two will be easy to deal with. And I will remember those who aided me as well as those who betrayed me.”

“They may be witches but they are human,” said Peter. “Even low level energy balls would be enough to kill them.”

“Their magic protects them,” said Callan. “We all know that.”

“And once I have killed at least one of them,” said the Source, “that magic will be weakened. Besides, it protects them. It does not make them invulnerable. Our young friend here is correct. While their magic protects them, their bodies are still human. Subject to the same frailties as any human. With enough underlings at least one should be able to get them. And as Coleson has said, even a low-level energy ball is enough to destroy most humans. They do not have our constitutions.”

“A very tempting offer,” said Callan. “I always served at Malevants’ whim. Even though I was a full demon and he was only half demon. What will you do about him?”

“You may have the pleasure of killing him yourself,” said the Source. “He uses his human form now. A form he has always claimed to be vile to him. But as I said, he now fights with the witches.”

“I can’t kill Malevant,” said Callan. “If I could I would have done it long ago. He’s too powerful for me.”

“I can take care of that,” said Peter. “Demons aren’t the only creatures I’ve defended as a human attorney. I’ve even handled a few Dark Lighter cases.”

“A Dark Lighter?” questioned Callan. “They are of less a threat to Malevant than I am. How do you expect a Dark Lighter to deal with such a powerful demon?”

“You forget about Malevants’ origins,” said the Source. “Malevants’ mother was a White Lighter. The poison of a Dark Lighter bolt would be as effective against him as against any White Lighter.”

“And as luck would have it,” said Peter pulling a vial out of his pocket, “I just happen to have a bit of that poison with me. All you have to do is throw it on him. It will weaken him enough so that you can kill him.”

“And as I said,” the Source said, “you shall have the pleasure of dealing the death blow to your former master. I want him dead for his betrayal to me. I don’t care who actually kills him.”

Callan looked at the dark liquid inside the vial Peter was holding. He was only a mid-level demon with no hope of rising much further in the hierarchy than he all ready was. Now he was being offered the chance of a lifetime. The third highest demon in the entire Underworld.

“What exactly do I have to do?” Callan asked smiling at the Source.

“Provide me with enough underlings to destroy the Charmed Ones,” said the Source. “And say nothing of what we’ve discussed until after the Ascension Ceremony. Until then I am vulnerable. And if I do not become the Source you will never get what I’ve promised you. Once the Ascension Ceremony is complete you can immediately take your place as ruler of Malevants’ domain.”

“What of the other two on the Triad?” Callan asked. “Who are they going to be?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” said the Source. “Perhaps you could decide. That will give me one less decision to make. And allow me to devote all my resources to finally destroying the Charmed Ones.”

“Very well,” said Callan, taking the potion vial from Peter. “I’ll help you defeat the Charmed Ones. In return I get to kill Malevant and replace him as ruler of his domain. And once you ascend to the throne I become head of the new Triad and your personal advisor.”

“That’s the deal,” said Peter.

“Are we agreed?” asked the Source.

“We are agreed,” said Callan. “When do you need the underlings to go after the withes?”

“Gather them immediately,” said the Source. “They are making preparations as we speak. We are going to attack them before those preparations are complete.”

“I’ll return as soon as I have chosen who’s going,” said Callan.

Callan walked out of the chamber heading for the domain he would soon be master of. The Source just smiled at Peter. Everything was progressing nicely. Very soon his most hated enemies would be dead. Then he would deal with the traitorous Brotherhood. And finally, he would take care of this young upstart who dared presume to be worthy to rule over true demons.

* * *

“How do you think things are going?” Paige asked Michael as they sat in the living room of the manor.

“Well,” said Michael, “assuming Peter was able to get in to see the Source, things should be right on schedule. If Cole has the Sources’ memories then the Source should have his as well. He’ll remember who Peter was.”

“Yes,” said Cole, standing by the fireplace, “and he’ll also remember that Peter wants to kill me.”

“Michael was able to change his mind,” said Phoebe standing next to Cole.

“The Source doesn’t know that,” said Cole.

“It should be enough that Peter is pretending to want to join the Underworld,” said Michael. “I approached the Source about him once. Before the possession. He was intrigued by the idea. Especially since Peter was helping defend demons in the human court system.”

“Why would he do that?” asked Paige, sitting in a chair in the living room.

“Peter never felt like he belonged in either the mortal realm or the Underworld,” said Michael. “As long as the demons didn’t use magic, Peter would defend them against human authorities. In cases where it would be too high profile to use magic. It’s not really much different from defending a human. As an attorney I’m sure Cole can understand the need for everyone to get a fair trial.”

“Yeah, but demons?” questioned Piper.

“Innocent until proven guilty,” said Peter walking into the living room.

“How did it go?” Phoebe asked.

“Better than I expected,” said Peter. “I think there’s still a trace of Coles’ personality in the Source. He was reluctant at first. But I finally convinced him I wanted to join the Underworld.”

“Good,” said Michael. “If our plan is to work he has to be convinced you’re sincere.”

“Oh, he is, trust me,” said Peter. “Where’s Leo?”

“He’s with the Elders,” said Phoebe. “He’s filling them in on what’s been going on.”

“Okay,” said Peter. “Oh, there is just one other thing.”

“What’s that?” Michael asked.

Before anyone could move, Peter formed an energy ball and cast it directly at Cole. The weapon struck Cole sending him flying across the room. Cole landed on a table that shattered under his weight and fell to the floor unmoving. Phoebe hurried to Cole checking to see how badly he was injured.

“Keeping a promise I made to my mother on her deathbed,” said Peter, glaring at the unmoving body of Cole.

“He’s dead,” said Phoebe. “Peter, why?”

“Because,” said a voice from the entryway, “the boy is a demon. What did you expect? That he would suddenly forgive his father his transgressions and you’d all live as one big happy family? How human of you.”

They all turned to see the Source standing in the entryway. Next to him stood Callan. Behind them stood six demons in human form. The Source smiled as Piper, Paige, and Michael jumped up from where they were sitting.

“Now,” said the Source, “it is time this was finished.”

[noazmale]

TWENTY-NINE

“You betrayed us,” Michael said to Peter.

“Did you really think I was buying that ‘everyone deserves a second chance’ bull you’ve been feeding me?” Peter asked. “You weren’t there. You didn’t see the look in my mothers’ eyes as she prayed for Cole to return. I swore to her on her deathbed that he would pay for what he did. Now, I’ve made good on that vow.”

“And now I will finish what I started all those months ago,” said the Source. “I thought you were finished when I killed your sister. Then this one,” he looked at Paige, “appeared, restoring the Power of Three. Your meddling has cost me. Now you’re going to pay for that meddling.”

“Callan,” Michael said, looking at the demon. “I should have known you’d side with him. You always did covet my position.”

“And now I shall have it,” Callan said, taking out the vial Peter had given him. “I’m surprised I didn’t think of it before. A little Dark Lighter poison and I ascend to your position. But then, you were always so powerful who would have thought something as simple as Dark Lighter poison could vanquish you.”

Callan threw the vial at Michael. It struck Michael in the chest and shattered covering the warrior White Lighter in the liquid. Michael fell to the ground in pain, gasping for air. Callan stepped up to him and towered over him.

“Now,” said Callan, “it’s time to put an end to you forever.”

Pipers’ hands suddenly came up as she tapped into her explosive power. Before she could use her power the Source cast a fireball striking Piper a direct hit. Piper was thrown back by the force of the attack, falling over the back of the sofa. She lay on the floor unmoving.

Paige called to the poker in the fireplace and redirected it at the Source. But the poker never reached its’ target. As it came within reach the Source simply reached out and slapped it away. As he did, two of the demons behind him cast energy balls at Paige, hitting her at the same time. Paige fell backwards, dazed but still conscious.

Two of the other demons shimmered and appeared next to Phoebe. But instead of attacking they grabbed her and held her firm. She struggled against them but their demonic strength was too great.

“Don’t harm her,” said the Source. “She has no active power and presents no threat to us. Gag and bind her so she can’t call for her White Lighter or cast any spells. We will take her back to the Underworld where this time I will strip the line of Melinda Warren of its’ power. Only this time I will make sure it is really the witch and not a White Lighter in glamour form.”

Callan smiled at Michael as the White Lighter struggled against the Dark Lighter poison. Callan formed an energy ball and stood holding it for a moment.

“Normally,” said Callan, “this would never be enough to vanquish you. But with the Dark Lighter poison in your system as it is now you are weakened. Rest assured I shall rule your domain for a long time to come. And the entire Underworld will know of your betrayal to the Source.”

Callan cast the energy ball and it engulfed Michael. Michael struggled for several moments against the magic of the weapon and then fell still. He lay unmoving on the floor. The demons holding Phoebe gagged her and bound her hands behind her back. As they all looked on Paige stood up, still groggy from the attacks on her.

“It appears your sister is dead,” said the Source, looking at the unmoving body of Piper on the floor. “It’s time you joined her. The Power of Three is gone forever. And soon the magic of Melinda Warrens’ line will be gone as well.”

He nodded to the two demons that had attacked Paige before. In unison they both cast energy balls that again struck Paige. She was knocked back against the wall and slumped to the floor. She lay on the floor unmoving. Peter moved over and checked the bodies of Cole, Piper, Michael, and Paige.

“They’re dead,” he said. “That seemed almost too easy.”

“Because of you,” said the Source. “They had no time to prepare for our attacks. And as we told Callan, they are still humans. They were not able to withstand the attacks as a demon might have.”

“Just remember our deal,” said Peter. “I’ve lived up to my part of the bargain.”

“Oh, you’ll get what’s coming to you,” said the Source. “Really, did you think I would really make you second in the Underworld? A boy who’s more human than demon. You betrayed your own kind. Do you think I’d honestly trust you after that?”

“Actually, no, I didn’t,” said Peter smiling. “But you trusted me enough to get you here. That’s all we needed.”

“What are you talking about?” Callan asked.

Suddenly a fireball struck Callan from behind incinerating the demon where he stood. As the fireball struck, Brotherhood demons suddenly shimmered into the living room. Taken by surprise the demons that had come with the Source were quickly vanquished by the more powerful Brotherhood demons. Seeing his advantage suddenly turned on him, the Source attempted to shimmer out of the manor.

“It’s not going to work,” said a voice from the top of the stairs. “We put an enchantment on the manor. You can shimmer in but you can’t shimmer out.”

The Source gasped in astonishment. Piper, Paige, and Phoebe stood at the top of the stairs. Phoebe snapped her fingers and the Piper, Paige, and Phoebe in the living room suddenly changed form. As they did, the forms of Cole and Michael also changed. They all stood up facing the Source. Baldasor, who had appeared as Michael looked at the Source.

“You should have brought a Vision demon with you,” said Baldasor. “Now, it’s too late.”

“Paige,” said Piper.

“Crystals,” Paige said calling for the crystals in the attic.

As they orbed to her she redirected them to form the prison around the Source as they had done once before. The crystals orbed into place forming the magical prison that would hold the Source captive. As soon as the prison was formed, the sisters began to incant the spell that would vanquish the Source forever.

“Prudence, Patricia, Penelope, Melinda, Astrid, Helena, Laura and Grace, Halliwell witches stand strong beside us, remove this evil from this time and place."

The Source struggled against the power of the spell. It enveloped him as it had before. Suddenly the Source exploded into a thousand shards that evaporated away into nothingness.

“That’s that,” said Piper.

“You sure he won’t inhabit anyone else?” Phoebe asked.

“Yes,” said Michael coming out of the upstairs, Leo close behind. “The Seer wasn’t here to use that magic to allow him to possess anyone else. The Source is gone forever. Looks like everyone did their part nicely. It worked without a hitch.”

“It’s not over yet,” said Leo. “The Source is vanquished but there’s still the matter of the pages from the Tome of the Ancients to deal with. You think they’ll have any luck getting them.”

“I hope so,” said Phoebe. “I don’t like Cole in the Underworld especially without his powers. He has no way to defend himself against any demons down there.”

“Don’t worry,” said Baldasor. “Kempac and Nelsar will protect him. They’ll return him to you safe and sound.”

“If they can get the pages and get out without being discovered,” said Michael. “The Seer is still around. If she had a vision they could be in trouble. I just wish I could be there to help them. But it’s much too risky. We’ll have to rely on Kempac and Nelsar to see that everything goes as planned.”

“Trusting demons to protect Cole?” Phoebe asked. “Not exactly a comforting thought.”

“They protect a brother,” said Baldasor. “As we always say, once a brother, always a brother. He will be safe. Trust me on that.”

“I don’t have much choice,” said Phoebe. “But I still don’t have to like it.”

[noazmale]

THIRTY

Cole, Kempac, and Nelsar negotiated the passageways of the Underworld heading for the chamber that held the pages from the Tome of the Ancients. Cole looked exactly like the Source complete with scars on the left side of his face. As they walked toward the chamber Cole scratched at the underside of his face.

“This makeup is beginning to itch,” he said.

“It was necessary,” said Kempac. “If the witches had used a spell to create the illusion of the scars the Vision demons would notice it immediately.”

“Let’s just not take too long,” said Cole. “I’m nervous enough being down here. I don’t want to stay any longer than I have to.”

“Do not fear, brother,” said Nelsar. “We will protect you. I only wish I knew how the confrontation with the Source is going. Malevant’s plan has many elements of risk. If the Source takes a Vision demon with him he will know it’s a trap.”

“Let’s not be concerned with that,” said Cole. “Let’s just get those pages and get out of here.”

They came to a large chamber that had no door on it. All of them could see some form of mystical energy surrounding the doorway. As they stepped up to the door five demons suddenly shimmered in, surrounding them.

One was a Vision demon similar to the one Peter had encountered when he had gone to the Source. The remaining four were large demons, uniformly gray in color. They had no hair and their eyes were a brilliant blue. The Vision demon stared at Cole, Kempac, and Nelsar for a moment, then bowed in reverence.

“Welcome, Source,” said one of the guardian demons. “We had not been told you were coming.”

“I chose well in picking you to guard the chamber,” said Cole, trying to sound as arrogant as the Source. “No one has tried to gain admittance?”

“None, my Lord,” said the demon. “The chamber remains undisturbed as when you left it.”

“Good,” said Cole. He turned to Kempac and Nelsar. “Wait here. I won’t be long.”

Cole stepped up to the doorway and looked it over. The magic of the enchantment was a powerful one. Any creature that stepped into the doorway would be instantly obliterated by the power of the Ancients. Any creature but the Source, the one person it was not designed to keep out.

This was the moment of truth. If Michael was right, Cole should be able to enter the chamber unharmed. If Michael was wrong, the magic would destroy him. And Kempac and Nelsar would probably have to fight their way out of the Underworld. Cole took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Then, without any hesitation, he stepped through the doorway.

Cole opened his eyes and looked round. The magic of the protection spell hadn’t affected him. Michael had been right. For all intents and purposes Cole and the Source were virtually identical. Physically anyway. Cole looked around the room. It contained many items the Source had collected during his reign of the Underworld.

Cole was tempted to take as many of the items as he could. They were all items that would serve the Underworld. And could place the forces of good in danger. But he immediately decided against taking anything but the pages. If he removed more than that the guards might become suspicious. This plan was too risky, and too important, to arouse their suspicions.

Cole walked over to the small chest that contained the pages. He opened it and looked inside. Sitting snugly in the chest were the pages he was looking for. Michael said that the Source had collected eight pages from the book. He counted the pages in the chest and found all eight. Cole scooped them up and headed for the exit.

As he exited the room he glanced cautiously at the demonic guards standing just outside. None seemed alarmed that he had removed the pages. Instead they bowed slightly as Cole walked over to Kempac and Nelsar.

“Remain on guard,” said Cole. “My orders still stand. Anyone trying to gain access to this chamber is to be destroyed immediately. As are anyone who appears not in their true form.”

“As you wish,” said the first demon. “We shall protect this chamber as you order.”

“Let’s go,” said Cole to Kempac and Nelsar. “There is much work to be done.”

Cole and the two demons turned and moved back down the corridor they had just come from. They couldn’t risk shimmering out in the open like this. They had to return to the hidden alcove where they had appeared in the Underworld. Until the pages were safely away from the Underworld they were still at risk of exposure. As they walked toward the alcove the Seer and two of her demonic underlings suddenly surprised them. She stood looking at Cole as he felt sure their ploy had been discovered.

[noazmale]

THIRTY-ONE

“They’ve been gone a long time,” said Phoebe, looking at her watch.

“Don’t worry,” said Baldasor. “Kempac and Nelsar are two of the oldest in the Brotherhood. And very powerful. If anything had gone wrong they would have shimmered here immediately.”

“It’s probably just taking longer than they expected,” said Michael. “If they don’t return soon Baldasor and the others can go looking for them.”

“Still giving orders?” Baldasor asked Michael.

“I just thought it would be best if you went instead of one of us,” said Michael. “You don’t have to risk being attacked the moment you appear in the Underworld.”

“For the moment your secret is safe with the Brotherhood,” said Baldasor. “Until we decide what to do with it none will reveal your dual identity.”

“There’s still the Seer to contend with,” said Michael. “She knows my secret, too. And we have no way of knowing if she told anyone else.”

“What will you do with the pages once you get them back?” Piper asked.

“They’ll have to be locked away where no one can get at them,” said Michael. “They’re much too dangerous to allow anyone to use them.”

“You seem to have decided you shall get them,” said Baldasor. “Perhaps the Brotherhood should take them.”

“Not likely,” said Piper. “We aren’t about to give power like that to any demons, I don’t care what you say about your so-called ‘code of honor’.”

“Besides,” said Peter, “we still have to wait until Cole returns with them.”

“How did you get the Source to believe you?” Leo asked. “I wasn’t at all convinced he would especially since you threatened to kill Cole the last time you were here.”

“I’m very good at what I do,” said Peter. “I just told him what he wanted to hear. That I wanted to kill Cole for what he had done to my mother. And I said I wanted to be the second highest demon in the Underworld. I guess he just thought the demonic nature in me had finally won out.”

“That’s pretty smart,” said Paige. “Still, it was a risk. If he hadn’t believed you he might have killed you.”

“I’ve dealt with demons long enough to understand them,” said Peter. “They think that everyone secretly wants what they want. Vengeance, power, higher status. I just played up to that. I was pretty sure he’d go for it, which he did.”

“What is this stuff?” Baldasor asked trying in vain for the third time to wipe the Dark Lighter poison off his chest.

“For the base I used dirty dish water,” said Piper.

“Dish water?” Baldasor questioned.

“Yep,” said Piper. “Plus a few other ingredients I have around the house. Some rubbing alcohol, some iodine, a little drain cleaner, and some other stuff I had in the kitchen. Leo helped me get the color and consistency to look like Dark Lighter poison. As for the smell I’m afraid I can’t help that.”

“I’ll get you one of my clean shirts,” said Leo, heading for the stairs.

“Helpful sort, isn’t he?” Baldasor asked.

“He is a White Lighter,” said Piper. “It’s one of his more endearing traits.”

“What happened to the other Brotherhood that were here?” Paige asked.

“They have returned to the Underworld,” said Baldasor. “If Kempac and Nelsar require assistance they stand ready to aid in any way they can.”

“And you didn’t tell us why?” Piper asked.

“I feel no need to discuss Brotherhood business with witches,” said Baldasor. “Besides, I’m sure you feel more comfortable with them out of your home.”

“You got that right,” said Piper.

“How much longer are we going to wait?” Phoebe asked.

“A little longer,” said Michael. “Relax, Phoebe. I’m sure Cole is fine. Trust me.”

“I trust you,” said Phoebe. “It’s the Underworld I don’t trust.”

Baldasor just chuckled as Leo came back down stairs and handed him a clean shirt.

* * *

“You have removed the pages, my Lord,” said the Seer, seeing the pages in Cole’s hands.

“Yes,” said Cole. “We have a lot to prepare for. I’ll need the pages to make future plans.”

“Of course,” said the Seer. She held out a potion vial to Cole. “I have the potion you asked for.”

“Potion?” Cole questioned.

“The fertility potion you asked for,” said the Seer. “For the witch. So that she can present you with an heir as quickly as possible.”

“Oh, yes,” said Cole taking the vial. “I’ve been so busy with other matters I guess it temporarily slipped my mind.”

“I was going to give it to the witch myself,” said the Seer. “She is not in her quarters.”

“No,” said Cole. “I’ve had her moved to a more secure location. She could be at risk. Until the Ascension Ceremony there may be some demons that will consider opposing me. She must be protected until then.”

“Certainly,” said the Seer. “Are you all right, my Lord? You seem not to be yourself.”

“Are you questioning me?” Cole demanded, looking down at the Seer. “Who is the master here?”

“You are, my Liege,” said the Seer. “My only concern is for your welfare, as usual.”

“I’m fine,” said Cole. “As you can see the Brotherhood is with me for protection.”

“But you have no Vision demon with you,” said the Seer. “Your orders were that at least one should be with you at all times.”

“I have no need to explain myself to you or anyone else,” demanded Cole. “I am the Source. Your job is to serve me, not question my motives or decisions. Is that understood?”

“Of course, my Lord,” said the Seer. “Forgive me. I meant no disrespect. As I said, my only concern is for your welfare.”

“Keep it that way,” said Cole. “I’ll brook no insolence even from you.”

“The potion,” said the Seer. “It is colorless and tasteless. Simply put it in something the witch eats. But once you use it do not wait long. Its affects will last only twenty-four hours. It is a difficult potion to make. If you miss your window of opportunity it will require several days to recreate it. It is why I have been unavailable recently.”

“Don’t worry,” said Cole. “There won’t be a need for another one.”

“That is good, my Lord,” said the Seer. “I understand preparations for the Ascension Ceremony are progressing nicely.”

“Yes,” said Cole. “I was just on my way to check on them. We will need the Grimoire for the ceremony.”

“I have all ready made arrangements for that,” said the Seer. “It will be ready when the ceremony takes place.”

“Good,” said Cole. “Now, I have many preparations to make. Once the Ascension Ceremony is complete there will be many tasks that will demand my attention.”

“As you wish, my Lord,” said the Seer.

“That was quick thinking,” said Kempac as they walked away from the Seer. “You almost had me convinced you were the real Source.”

“I’ve had a lot of practice,” said Cole. “Now, let’s get out of here before anyone else weigh lays us.”

Together the three headed down the passageway to the alcove where they could shimmer out of the Underworld from.

[noazmale]

THIRTY-TWO

“I’m so glad you’re back,” said Phoebe, hugging Cole close. “I was so afraid you’d never get out of the Underworld alive.”

“Well, there was a close call when the Seer approached us,” said Cole, peeling off the makeup that made it appear the left side of his face was scarred. “But I was able to convince her I was the real Source.”

“He was quite convincing,” said Nelsar. “Had I not know I would have believed him to be the real Source.”

“Well, at least it’s over,” said Piper. “The Source is finally vanquished for good, Cole is free of him forever, we have the pages from the Tome of the Ancients, and the Underworld is once again without a leader. All in all I’d say we did a decent days’ work.”

“They all seem to be here,” said Michael, looking the pages over. “Now that we have these out of the Underworld we can make sure they never harm anyone ever again.”

“Thanks for the help, all of you,” said Cole. “Especially you, Peter. I know how hard this must have been for you. Considering everything I’ve put you through.”

“Well, Michael did say it was for the forces of good everywhere,” said Peter. “Besides, like he said, I guess everyone deserves a second chance. It doesn’t mean we’re going to be doing any bonding or anything in the near future. But you did risk your life to get those pages back. I guess I owe it to you to show me that you’ve changed. Mom would have wanted that.”

“It’s a start,” said Cole.

“The boy is very much like you, Cole,” said Baldasor.

“Will you stop calling me that,” said Peter. “I’m almost fifty years old, for crying out loud. Hardly a kid.”

“Don’t feel bad,” said Cole. “I was almost sixty before he stopped calling me a boy.”

“I am over four hundred years old,” said Baldasor. “By my standards you are hardly more than a teenager.”

“Just don’t call me boy, Uncle Baldasor,” said Peter, emphasizing the word “uncle”. “I think I’ve proven I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.”

“Uncle Baldasor?” questioned Baldasor. “Now that’s going to take some getting used to.”

“What will the Brotherhood do now?” Cole asked. “If the hierarchy learns you helped up they’re sure to try and take revenge on you. And not even the Brotherhood will be able to survive that.”

“We are leaving the Underworld,” said Baldasor. “The Order of the Thorn has asked us to assist them in Los Angeles. Something about a vampire with a soul that’s been giving them some measure of trouble. They are having to reallocate their resources and require our assistance there.”

“Take care of yourself,” said Cole. “This is the second time I am indebted to you. I won’t forget it.”

“Once a brother,” said Baldasor.

“Always a brother,” finished Cole.

“Take care, brother,” said Baldasor. “And you too, nephew. Perhaps you may one day distinguish yourself enough to join the order.”

“I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one,” said Peter. “I have a very good practice providing legal services to the underprivileged. Those who can’t afford decent legal services are really in need of my help. And you’d be surprised just how appreciative they are when they get it.”

“Of course,” said Baldasor. “Still, things may change.”

Without another word, Baldasor and the other two Brotherhood demons shimmered out of the manor.

“I need to get these to a safe place,” said Michael, holding up the pages from the Tome of the Ancients. “The sooner they’re locked away were no one can get to them the better I’ll feel.”

“What will you do now?” Paige asked. “Your identity as Malevant has been exposed. You certainly can’t return there.”

“We’re sorry about that,” said Piper. “It was a high price to pay.”

“Not for what we got in return,” said Michael. “The Source vanquished and these pages out of the hands of demons. Besides, I knew it couldn’t last forever. I had over sixty years of funneling information to the Elders and thwarting demonic plans. It’s about time for a change in career.”

“You could always join the White Lighter council,” suggested Leo. “You’d be instrumental in choosing new White Lighters.”

“Me, a bureaucrat?” gasped Michael. “That will be the day. No, there are many things I can do. Look at it this way. Now I’ll have more time to devote to my charges. Don’t worry. I won’t be bored. There will always be something for me to do.”

“And maybe you can come by for just dinner sometime,” said Piper. “Instead of involving us in one of your elaborate plans.”

“That would be a refreshing change,” said Michael. “I just might take you up on that.”

“Any time,” said Piper, “any time.”

“You think he’ll be in any danger?” Phoebe asked after Michael had orbed out. “There are bound to be more than a few demons who’d like to get revenge on him especially now that they will know who he is.”

“He can take care of himself,” said Cole. “Trust me when I tell you that most demons will think long and hard before they go up against him. Maybe he no longer has his secret as Malevant but he’s still as powerful as ever. Every demon will remember that.”

“Plus he doesn’t have to hide his secret any longer,” said Leo.

“Speaking of dinner,” said Peter, “I’m famished. Would it be okay if I invite myself to dinner?”

“Sure,” said Piper. “You probably don’t get many home cooked meals being a bachelor and all.”

“Would it be okay if I brought a friend?” Peter asked hesitantly.

“I don’t see why not,” said Piper. “I should be able to throw something together pretty quickly if Phoebe and Paige will help.”

“No problem there,” said Phoebe.

“Great,” said Peter. “I’ll be right back.”

Peter shimmered out of the manor as the girls went into the kitchen to start preparing dinner. About twenty minutes later Peter shimmered back into the manor. With him was a young woman just a little older than Piper. She had blonde hair and was very beautiful.

“Piper, Phoebe, Paige,” said Peter, “this is Cherise Young. My fiancé.”

“Fiancé?” questioned Phoebe. “Peter, that’s wonderful.”

“Cherise,” said Peter, “this is Leo Wyatt, Pipers’ husband. And this is Cole Turner.”

“You’re Peters’ father,” Cherise said.

“Yeah, I guess so,” said Cole.

“He’s told me a great deal about you,” said Cherise. “I must admit when I learned he was part demon and that his father was the infamous Belthazor I was taken back a bit. That’s a lot to take in.”

“You told her?” Paige questioned.

“She has a right to know everything,” said Peter. “Especially since any children we have may have demonic powers. She needed to be prepared for that.”

“Besides, it’s not like it was exactly news to me,” said Cherise. “My mother told me about demons and the Elders and all.”

“You’re a witch?” Piper asked.

“No, I’m not,” said Cherise. “My mother was but it seems to have skipped me.”

“Yeah, it can do that sometimes,” said Leo.

“Anyway,” said Cherise, “I was a bit freaked out at first. But I knew Peter was a good man. Eventually I decided that it wasn’t his fault his father was half demon.”

“You’re very forgiving,” said Cole.

“Something she’s teaching me,” said Peter. “After I told her everything that happened when I was here the last time she starting harping on me that maybe I should give Cole as second chance.”

“I don’t harp,” said Cherise. “I just reminded him that he was part demon and he wasn’t evil. I only thought that he should consider that his father might have changed. Especially since he apparently had a very good influence in his life now.”

“Anyway,” said Peter, “it’s in no small part to Cherise that I decided to give Cole the benefit of the doubt. I still harbor some resentment over what he did and I probably always will. But I’m trying to cut him some slack. So he can prove he’s not the demon he used to be.”

“Yeah, we came to the same realization recently,” said Paige. “I guess we’ve all been unfair to Cole in the past.”

“Can’t say I blame you too much,” said Cole. “Belthazor had a pretty bad reputation. I just hope I can justify your faith in me and prove I’ve changed.”

“I have no doubt you will, dad,” said Cherise, smiling at Cole.

“That’s going to take some getting used to,” said Cole.

“Well, dinner is just about ready,” said Piper. “Why don’t you guys go set the table? We can all get acquainted over dinner.”

“Sounds good,” said Cherise. “I’m dying to hear all about the Charmed Ones. Peter has told me a lot about you but I’m sure there’s a lot he doesn’t know. My mother told me about you but that was before you got your powers. Maybe I could even see the Book of Shadows.”

“I think that might be arranged,” said Phoebe.

They all went into the dining room to get ready for dinner.

[noazmale]

THIRTY-THREE

“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” said the man dressed in flowing robes. “You may kiss the bride.”

The groom lifted the bride’s veil and kissed her in front of the entire gathering of people. When they had finished kissing they turned to face the crowd.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” said the man in robes. “I have the distinct pleasure to introduce for the first time publicly, Mr. and Mrs. Cole Turner.”

As the organist played the final cords of the wedding march, and to the standing ovation of the gathered crowd, Cole and Phoebe moved from the dais to the front of the building and the exit to await the heartfelt congratulations of the spectators. Piper and Paige, especially, were grinning from ear to ear as they watched their sister walk with her new husband to the exit.

* * *

“Phoebe it was a wonderful ceremony,” said Leo at the reception afterwards.

“It certainly was,” said Piper. “A lot better than my wedding. Talk about a disaster.”

“That wasn’t Prue’s fault,” said Phoebe, hanging onto Cole. “And it was absolutely perfect. Nothing went wrong. I was kind of surprised. The Halliwell women aren’t known for having weddings go smoothly.”

“No surprise, really,” said the man in robes who had officiated at the wedding. “With all the people gathered here demons would have been more than foolish to try anything.”

“Thanks for performing the ceremony, Thaddeus,” said Phoebe. “When you offered I was a little bit leery about letting an Elder officiate at my wedding. I’m glad now I decided to let you.”

“It was my pleasure,” said Thaddeus. “The Elders felt it was some small recompense for all that you’d done for us recently.”

“Still it was very thoughtful,” said Piper.

“Can’t say I was real comfortable being in the same room as an Elder,” said Baldasor. “We don’t exactly see eye-to-eye on things.”

“Still, for a demon, I must say you behaved yourself admirably,” said Thaddeus.

“How could I do otherwise?” Baldasor asked. “It was the wedding of my baby brother. I couldn’t very well disrupt that, could I?”

“Don’t call me that,” said Cole. “You may be more than three hundred years older than I am but I’ve earned the respect to be treated like a man. You of all people should know that.”

“Is he always this annoying?” Peter asked, Cherise holding his arm.

“Yeah, pretty much,” said Cole. “But he’ll grow on you after a while.”

“It’s a shame, really,” said Baldasor.

“What is?” Paige asked.

“I just get a sister-in-law and it’s very likely that at some point in the future I may have to kill her,” said Baldasor, smiling slightly.

“Are you joking?” Piper asked.

“She is a witch,” said Baldasor. “And I’m a demon. It just stands to reason that’s the way it’s going to end up.”

“Not if we vanquish you first,” said Paige.

“That’s enough,” said Cole. “He’s joking. Now that the Brotherhood are located in Lost Angeles it’s very unlikely you’ll ever see him again and he knows it.”

“Well, except when I stop by to visit now and again,” said Baldasor. “Purely social, of course. Not on ‘business’ as it were. Especially after the little ones come along.”

“Little ones?” Phoebe questioned. “We just got married. Give us a chance to get settled into our marriage before we start talking about kids.”

“That’s enough,” Cole repeated more forcefully. “Baldasor, they aren’t used to your sense of humor. Let’s just give it a rest, okay? It is my wedding day, after all.”

“Okay, okay,” laughed Baldasor. “But don’t forget. You still have that fertility potion the Seer created for you. When you’re ready that should help quite nicely.”

“A potion I destroyed as soon as we got back to the manor after getting the pages from the Tome of the Ancients,” said Cole.

“Speaking of which,” said Thaddeus, turning to Michael who had been standing by watching the exchanges. “You never did tell us what you did with those pages.”

“They’re safe,” said Michael. “I felt it was best if no one knew where they’re hidden. That way no one will be tempted to try and get them.”

“Hidden even from the Elders?” Leo asked.

“Hidden from everyone,” said Michael. “Power that great is too tempting.”

“No more talk about work,” said Phoebe. “This is my wedding day. I’ll not have it spoiled. They’ll be enough time for that later. Right now I just want everyone to enjoy themselves while I show off my new husband.”

“Agreed,” said Cole. “Except I’m showing off my new bride. We have a truce today. I’d like to think it might last at least for a while.”

“Fair enough,” said Thaddeus, picking up a glass of champagne.

“I didn’t think Elders were allowed to drink alcohol?” Leo asked.

“Special occasion,” said Thaddeus. “And I don’t think one glass will hurt.”

“So, any idea where you’re going on your honeymoon?” Cherise asked.

“Tahiti,” said Cole. “Leo has graciously agreed to provide us with transportation there and back.”

“Speaking of not being allowed,” Thaddeus said, smiling at Leo.

“Well, I didn’t think it would hurt anything,” said Leo. “It’s my wedding present to them.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” said Thaddeus.

“So, Paige,” said Cherise. “You have a brother-in-law that’s a White Lighter and one that’s a demon. Excuse me, Cole. Former demon. Who do you think you’ll end up marrying?”

“With our luck, “ said Piper sarcastically, “she’ll end up marrying an Elder.”

“I’m single,” said Thaddeus, smiling coyly.

“Married to an Elder?” said Paige. “Somehow I’m thinking that’s not going to happen.”

“He’s just kidding, Paige,” said Leo, looking at Thaddeus. “Elders don’t marry.”

“Not that it’s forbidden or anything,” said Thaddeus. “It’s just that we’re much too busy protecting the innocent.”

“Still not going to happen,” said Paige.

“Don’t worry, Paige,” said Leo. “Thaddeus is just yanking your chain, that’s all.”

“Of course I am,” said Thaddeus, smiling. “For one thing, I’m much too old for you. By several hundred years, as a matter of fact.”

“Thank goodness for that,” said Paige. “The last thing I need is an Elder as a stalker.”

“Well, I must be going,” said Thaddeus. “I do have other duties to attend to. Phoebe, Cole, it was a pleasure to marry you. I am honored you agreed to it.”

“You did a wonderful job, Thaddeus,” Phoebe said kissing him on the cheek. “Thank you for doing it.”

“My pleasure,” said Thaddeus. “Well, enjoy your honeymoon. I’m sure it will over much too quickly. As I understand it, they usually are.”

“For an Elder he’s not so bad,” said Paige. “Assuming all that business about being single was really a joke.”

“It was,” said Leo, smiling. “He looks on you more like daughters. He was just having some fun at your expense. I wouldn’t be too hard on him. He doesn’t get much chance to joke around like that.”

“Thank goodness,” said Phoebe. “I like Thaddeus but I don’t think I’d want him as a brother-in-law. Like he said, he is considerably older than Paige.”

“Cole’s a lot older than you,” said Cherise.

“That’s different,” said Phoebe. “Cole’s not an Elder.”

“And not likely to be one any time soon,” said Cole.

“Well, that’s not exactly what I meant,” said Cherise.

“What did you mean?” Piper asked.

“Well, now that Cole and Phoebe are married,” said Cherise, “technically that makes Peter Phoebes’ stepson. And when Peter and I get married that will make me your daughter-in-law.”

“Okay?” questioned Phoebe. “I’m still not seeing your point.”

“It’s just that Leo is what, eighty some years old?” questioned Cherise. “And Cole is something like one hundred if what Peter told me is correct.”

“It is,” said Cole.

“Well,” said Cherise, “it’s just that when Peter and I get married that will mean that Phoebe will have a stepson and daughter-in-law who are older than she is. That’s all I’m saying.”

As Piper and Paige just giggled Phoebe stared at Cherise. After all they had been through and she would still be the second youngest in the family.

The End

(Authors’ endnote: While Michaels’ dual identity as Malevant in this story was exposed, it is an Alternate Universe story. Future canon stories will still feature Michael with his “secret” identity although future stories based on this one will proceed with his secret having been exposed.)

If you’ve enjoyed this story, you can find more “Charmed” stories at my website, Creative Passions, listed in my bio. You can also post your own “Charmed” stories or other stories if you like to write fan fiction.