The Underworld/San Francisco, Tuesday afternoon - NFB

[demonbelthazor]

After his morning class, Bel delayed as long as he could before shimmering to the Underworld in answer to Raynor's summons. But instead of going to the Brotherhood's usual meeting chamber, he instead stole through the dark maze of passages that made up the Underworld, ducking into the shadows to avoid detection when he heard voices near. He was close to Raynor's lair, and if he was lucky, he could find where his former mentor kept his father's soul and could take it and be done with this charade before it went too far.

A low voice came from behind him, startling him. "Welcome home, brother."

Bel spun around. Before him now stood the last person he wanted to see -- Vornac. He was highly placed in the Brotherhood and had been Bel's personal tormentor during his youth. "Vornac," he said calmly. "I didn't hear you."



"What are you doing?" Vornac asked.

"Looking for Raynor," Bel lied. "Have you seen him?"

"He sent me to find you, as a matter of fact," Vornac said. "It's good to see you, Belthazor. It's been awhile, hasn't it?"

"Not long enough," Bel said, not falling for Vornac's false pleasantries.

Vornac smiled coldly. "I know what you've done. You fell for a witch, didn't you? And tried to switch teams. You betrayed the Source, just like I always knew you would. Your human half makes you weak. Why Raynor still wants you is beyond me. He should just be done with you. Give you to me. I promise I can make your punishment exquisite. Well, for me at least."

"I'm stronger than you now," Bel growled. "You know I'll kill you if you try anything."

Vornac shrugged, unconcerned. "You might have had the upper hand for a short while, Belthazor, but you've let your human soul grow stronger, and that gives me the power again. All those weaknesses and pains you tried so hard to bury? They're all back now, aren't they?"

"Try me," Bel challenged.

"Oh, believe me, I will," Vornac said. "But I'll have to wait for that. Let's see what Raynor has to say to you, first." He gave Bel a push toward Raynor's lair.

Bel walked ahead of Vornac, keenly aware of the other demon's eyes on his back. He had little doubt that Raynor had sent Vornac after him on purpose, to remind him of everything he'd suffered at his hands when he was younger -- and as a warning of what would happen should he disobey. He kept his back stiff, refusing to show any fear or nervousness.



Raynor was waiting in his chambers. He must've guessed that Bel would make some sort of attempt to find his father's soul and was more than prepared for the effort. He nodded in greeting to Bel and Vornac. "I have discovered the second half of the amulet," he said. He waved his hand in front of Bel's face, telepathically giving him the location. "I am disappointed that you did not find it first, Belthazor. I am displeased with your performance thus far."

"It's just taking him awhile to get back in the game," Vornac said, patting Bel on the back. "But I'm sure he'll learn his proper place again soon enough."

Bel glared at Vornac, then nodded obediently to Raynor as he said, "Go, find the witch and get the amulet. And this time, make sure I don't have to clean up after you again."



Bel shimmered out of the Underworld, letting his powers take him to a park in San Francisco. There were several witches gathered there, holding some sort of nature ritual. The one who bore the amulet, Jenna, was speaking. "The birth and rebirth of all nature. The passing of winter and spring, we share in the life universal. Rejoice in the magical ring. I'll see you all next week. Blessed be."

"Blessed be," the others echoed, and began to disperse.

Bel stayed crouched in the bushes, waiting for his opportunity. Vornac shimmered in beside him. "What are you doing here?" Bel demanded.

"Just watching your back," Vornac said, looking Bel over.

"Yeah, well, watching it's one thing, stabbing it's another," Bel said.

"What's the matter?" Vornac said with mock sweetness. "Don't you trust me?"

"I don't trust anyone," Bel said flatly.

"Now that's the old Belthazor," Vornac said, putting his hand on Bel's arm. "Remember how great you used to be? No conscience, no hesitation. You know what Raynor wants. Just give it to him. You'll feel better after you kill the witch."

"What do you care?" Bel snarled. "You want me to fail."

"I want you back where you belong," Vornac said. "Serving the Source. Serving the Brotherhood." He grinned. "Serving me."

"Go to hell," Bel said, turning his attention back to the witches, trying to ignore Vornac's taunts.



The witches had all left except for Jenna. She knelt, picking up her belongings. Then she turned her head and stared at the bushes where Bel and Vornac hid. "Who's there?" she called, as if sensing their presence.



Bel shook off Vornac's hand and stood up, shifting into his demonic form. Jenna held out the amulet before her. "You can't hurt me," she said. The blue protective shield surrounded her as Bel closed in. He braced himself for the pain and started to reach through the shield.



Piper heard sounds of a commotion. She figured it was the witch she had been searching for, so she ran in that direction. She arrived just in time to witness Bel reaching for the amulet.

"Bel, don't!" she cried frantically. Her hands were in position to freeze him. She'd use her explosive power if she had to.

"Get out of here, Piper," Bel snarled, but he backed off from the witch, silently grateful for her appearance. But how could he protect her from Vornac without it being too obvious?

Vornac emerged from the bushes behind him. "Is this one of the Charmed Ones, brother?" he sneered. "The one you love? She doesn't look like much to me."

"Excuse me?" Piper glared at the other demon, taking offense. She attempted to blow him up just to show him how much he underestimated her power. Of course, she ended up taking out a tree instead.

Vornac ducked as the tree beside him exploded. "The one who explodes things," he said. "Good thing I have help ready." Another demon shimmered in beside him.

"Piper, take the witch and get out of here!" Bel hissed desperately, low enough that Vornac and the other demon couldn't hear him. "I can't protect you from them!"

Jenna moved beside Piper. "They want my amulet," she said. "But it will protect us from them."

"Not from me," Bel said, making a grab for the amulet again. He had to make it look good, after all. The blue shield flared and drove him back.

Piper wasn't sure she could trust Bel at the moment, so she froze him before he had a chance to reach for the amulet again.

She turned to Jenna. "We have to get out of here."

Vornac nodded at the demon he had summoned, who began to advance on Piper and Jenna. Knowing the shield would protect Jenna, he lunged at Piper, summoning an energy ball to his hand. Vornac himself stayed back, watching.

Piper was ready for the demon. She threw her hands out in front of her in an attempt to blow him up. This time, she didn't miss. The demon exploded much to Piper's relief. Still, there were two more she had to deal with.

Bel unfroze as Piper blew up the demon. But Vornac was still there, and he couldn't back down in front of him, or he'd tell Raynor and his father would be destroyed. He summoned a fireball, hesitated for only the barest fraction of a moment, then threw it at Piper and Jenna.

Piper didn't actually think he would throw the fireball at her. So when it was flying toward her, she was too stunned to even try to freeze it. The amulet's shield managed to protect them from being immolated by the fireball. It did not prevent Piper and Jenna from being thrown into the bushes, though.



"Ow," Piper muttered, holding her arm. She glanced at Bel, giving him a death glare.

Vornac summoned an energy ball, but Bel stepped back toward him and put his hand on his arm. "It's suicide," he said. "We'll try again later." Vornac nodded in agreement, and the two demons shimmered out of the park.

Piper slowly stood up, helping Jenna to her feet. "Come on. I know a place where you'll be safe."

"You're one of the Charmed Ones, aren't you?" Jenna said, awed. "I'm just thrilled to meet you. I mean, I've heard of the Charmed Ones, of course, but I just thought I'd never dream I'd meet them! You saved me, and the amulet." She looked down at Piper's arm. "May I?" she asked, examining the scrape she'd taken in the fall. "Well, the wound isn't deep. A salve would cleanse it and ease the pain. I can make one for you if you'd like."

"If it'll take the pain away, sure," Piper said absently, not really paying attention.

She was thinking about what she would tell Grams and her sisters when she returned home with another witch. She also thought about what she would tell Phoebe.

* * *



Bel and Vornac shimmered back to the Underworld where Raynor was waiting. "You don't have the amulet," he said, raising an eyebrow. "How could you have failed? It was just one little witch."

"One of the Charmed Ones was there," Vornac said. "The middle sister. She killed Triggs." He looked over at Bel. "Belthazor thought it would be better to run away than try to take them out."

"Why is that, Belthazor?" Raynor asked, moving before him.

"I know what her power is," Bel said. "She froze me and blew up Triggs without breaking a sweat. She could've killed us both."

"The mighty Belthazor, afraid of a witch?" Vornac sneered. "You have gone soft."

"What has happened to you, Belthazor?" Raynor said, shaking his head. "A witch's magic never would have stopped you before, you never would have given up. You're weak. Love has done this to you. It's a sickness. The kind that only comes from being in the world of light for too long. It's contaminated you."

Bel dropped the pretenses of obedience. "Loving Phoebe is the best thing that's ever happened to me. You can destroy me, but you can't change that."

"After all that I've taught you and all that I've given you, you're willing to give it all up for a witch?" Raynor said.

"I'm not going to kill for you, Raynor," Bel said. "Not anymore."



"Not even for your father's soul?" Raynor reminded him. He held out his hand, conjuring the white orb that housed Benjamin Turner's soul.



Bel lunged at Raynor, but Vornac grabbed him and held him back, athame held to his throat. "Settle, brother," he warned. He turned his head to Raynor. "Why do you bother with him? Let me have him, Raynor. I'll teach him his place again." He dug the blade into Bel's neck, drawing a thin line of blood.

"I'm sure you would," Raynor said. "But not yet. There is still time for Belthazor to prove himself again." He motioned for Vornac to drop the athame from Bel's throat, then vanished the soul orb. "Stop fighting what you are, Belthazor. You're a demon. Embrace it. Let evil make you strong again. Give into it."

"I hate you," Bel growled even as he felt Raynor's words reaching to the demon inside him, compelling it to come forth.

"Then let that hate make you strong," Raynor said. "I can feel the rage in you rising. You let that anger give you strength when you were younger. You can do so again. You'll soon learn that your pretty little witch can't change what you are."

Bel tried to calm himself, fight the rising demon. Battling Raynor and Vornac would be suicide, not to mention a risk to his father's soul. "What do you want me to do?" he asked, resigned.

"Retrieve the amulet from the Charmed Ones," Raynor said. "I don't care how you do it, just do it."

Bel swallowed and nodded. "I'll get it. They're not gonna trust me, though, so it may take awhile."

Raynor nodded. "I will have other assignments for you to work on in the meantime. You'll be hearing from me soon. You may go now."

Bel nodded, then shook himself free of Vornac's grasp and quickly shimmered out of the cavern, wanting to put as much distance between him and the Underworld as he could as quickly as possible. What the hell was he going to say to Piper now...or Phoebe?

Written with cookinggeek, and yes, I am blatantly ripping off the episode "Exit Strategy." NFB due to distance and woe.