by Nat Faul <pruesdoux@hotmail.com>
DISCLAIMER: (August 2002) This is not posted for any profit but to share creative ideas with other Charmed fans on this and other websites. The characters of Prue, Piper, and Phoebe Halliwell, Paige Matthews, Leo Wyatt, and Cole Turner are property of Warner Brothers Television. Other characters were created by this author. Any similarities to real persons living or dead are purely coincidental. The following account is fiction. Its sole purpose is to entertain. Lyrics of the song Holy Ground was written by Chris Newman and recorded by Napalm Beach for their album Fire, Air, and Water; released as a co-operative venture between Flying Heart Records and Satyricon Records, 1990.
RATED G: Suitable for all ages.
INTRODUCTION: Many fans were (and still are) upset with the departure of Prue and have many ideas on how to bring her back. Here is mine.
*****
Piper saw Paige enter the P3 and quickly readied a bottle of mineral water for her.
"I thought Phoebe was coming with you."
"No. She's ... visiting Prue's grave again."
"Again? This is getting serious!"
"I know. With all that's been happening -- losing Cole, losing the baby, Cole coming back, Cole with demon powers again.... She's overwhelmed."
"But turning to Prue, who's gone, rather than me, who's still here, makes me feel that I've failed her."
Paige put a hand on her arm. "No! No! You haven't failed her. She's just ... not thinking rationally right now. Just give her time."
"Well, ... maybe. But unless she can contact Prue on the Other Side, she needs someone who can give her answers and support right now."
*****
At the cemetery, Phoebe walked up the stairs to the mausoleum with careful and meditative steps. Her mind was bound down with confusion and her heart with pain. She felt the weight of the world on her soul and everything was looking dark.
Walking on holy ground.
I don't know how long I'll be around.
I can hear the sound
Of trumpets blowing, coming down.
Don't wanna leave here.
Gimme time to prove that
For all I know
There are things I haven't done yet.
Not expecting to find anyone else there, she was surprised to see a man at Prue's space. He was dressed in khakis, with a tan vest, cowboy boots, and an Australian hat. A canvas shoulderbag hung at his right hip. He was setting up a wreath of many colorful flowers. Phoebe thought it was for someone else nearby until she saw him tie a black ribbon to the candlemount of Prue's name plaque. He took off his hat, uncovering his golden curls, and stood in silent vigil. As Phoebe approached, she cleared her throat to make her presence know to him but he didn't move.
"Did you know her long?"
He shook his head. "We never met."
This puzzled her. "Then, ... Why are you ...?"
"I'm her designated husband."
Phoebe was shocked. "Her what?!"
"The Elders said I should marry her."
"The Elders? You mean as in ...?"
"The whitelighters."
"So you are a ... um ...?"
"They call me the Arcmage, for want of a better word."
"Arcmage?"
"I'm surprised you haven't come up with a spell to bring her back."
"We tried everything. We really have! But nothing worked."
"You have tried the resurrection spell in The Evalesco Manuel?"
"Never even heard of it."
"It's in the underworld library."
"Oh no! I'm not using dark magic!"
"It's not considered dark magic. You can use it without being corrupted by evil. Just ask Cole. He knows all about it and can get it for you."
Phoebe's head spun. "Wait a minute! Just who are you?"
"McPhillips -- Derek McPhillips. My card"
He held out to her a round card, which looked more like a coaster. On it was a caricature of a curled scorpion in red. When Phoebe reached out and touched it, a vision burst into her head. She saw Prue's grave burst open as by a powerful explosion and the cover flying across the mausoleum. Then from the darkness within a pair of white hands reached out. Phoebe was stunned. She looked to the stranger but found him gone. Looking around she saw herself alone in the dark, quiet place.
*****
Piper got home from work in the pre-dawn hours. She walked into the livingroom and found Leo sitting on the sofa.
"Darling! You didn't have to wait up for me! (Not that I'm complaining.)"
"I have no one better to wait up for."
She sat beside him and they exchanged a few warm, tender kisses.
He asked, "How's the new mother?"
"New mother is fine."
"You're going to have to make some changes; like getting more rest and avoiding stressful situations. You might want to get someone to take over for you at the club."
"You want me to avoid stress? Just let there be no more demon attacks. And I do have a health routine and maternity leave plan."
"Well, I'm on a paternity plan which includes making sure you take care of yourself."
"You always do that anyway. Don't you?" They kissed again. "Paige get home?"
"Went to bed hours ago."
"And Phoebe?"
"I thought she would be with you."
Piper sighed. "No. She went to Prue's grave again."
"That bothers you?"
"She goes to unburden herself. I'd like to contact Prue as much as she would, but Grams says she's not ready yet. I just wish Phoebe would come to me with her problems rather than someone who can't give her any answers yet."
"Would you like me to talk with her?"
"No. I'd rather she come to me on her own, not because someone tells her to." They heard the front door open and close. "Ah! Here she is now!"
Phoebe entered and march right up to Leo. "Have you ever heard of the Arcmage?"
Leo thought a moment. "I've heard of him but never met him. Why?"
"Did the Elders tell him to marry Prue?"
"Not that I know of."
"As our whitelighter, I should think you'd know if they were arranging marriages for us."
"They don't arrange marriages."
Piper jumped in. "Whoa! Wait! Who are we talking about here? Who's supposed to marry Prue?"
Phoebe explained, "I found this guy visiting Prue's grave when I got there. He set up this beautiful wreath for her which looks really expensive. I asked him if he was her friend for a long time. He said he never met her but the Elders designated him as her husband. He gave his weird card, with the name Derek McPhillips and a Chicago address, then disappeared."
Leo thought about it and shook his head. "I never heard of any such thing. I'll have to ask around. Did he say anything else?"
Phoebe balked. "Umm ... He just ... asked why we haven't come up with a spell to bring her back. I said we'd tried everything. ... And that was it."
"Prue was in my charge. If they had anything planned for her, they would have told me. I hope they haven't been keeping secrets from me."
*****
Phoebe couldn't sleep. Different feelings ran to her from different directions. She has an opportunity to bring Prue back. But she knows that the Elders would have some objection to it. It seems that everything that would make her and her sisters happy violates some rule of theirs. And the key lies with Cole, whom she hadn't seen since he escaped his death prison. She mourned him as dead and told him to move on. Now he's back. She had separated him from Belthazor. Now he has demon powers again. Her relationships with him has been a long, painful roller-coaster ride. She was getting tired of it but knows he won't give up on her. And is she still married to him? Didn't his death end it all? But does coming back from the dead continue it? And since he was possessed by the Source when they married, did she marry only the Source or Cole also? So many questions and no one to ask. Except Prue. She missed her big sister's decisiveness and assurances. She needed her now more than ever.
She sat up in bed and looked around, wondering if Cole was watching right now. She got out of bed and wandered around the house, wondering how to get him to appear to her. If he were watching, he could see that this would be an opportune time to see her privately. But there was no sign of him. She sat down and waited awhile, until a thought occurred to her.
She went up to the attic, to The Book of Shadows, and opened it to the page on Belthazor. So many times had she viewed this page that she felt she can find it with her eyes closed. She paused. Should she do this now? Was she ready for this? She decided the sooner the better.
"Magic forces black and white,
Reaching out through space and light,
Be he far or be he near,
Bring me the demon Belthazor here."
"That doesn't work." There he stood by the door, arms folded and leaning against the wall. "Belthazor is dead. That spell is useless."
"But you're here."
"Because I want to be. Not because I was summoned."
Phoebe now felt awkward. She was not as prepared for this as she had thought. But she pushed ahead anyway. "Uh ... So ... How have you been?"
"I've been fine."
"Good! ... Um ... What have you been doing?"
"Looking around ... at the situations ... you know, chaos in the underworld and all that. But most of all, I've been thinking over things ... about us."
"Really? Me too."
"And what have you been thinking?"
"Where do we go from here?"
"Where do you want to go?"
"Oh no! You're not throwing the whole burden of this on me!"
"Oh! ... Uh ... No! ... I'm not! I just know you by now. And I know it's pointless to tell you what to do." Phoebe chuckled and nodded. Cole continued, "I just need to know what you want."
She sighed and hung her head. "I don't know what I want. I'm so confused right now. I mourned you as dead and now you're back. And you have demon powers again. I feel like we're starting all over again."
Cole took her into his arms. "Then let's start over right this time."
As they kissed, Phoebe once again felt the hot rush of passion sweep through her. They hadn't lost it. That feeling is still there. At that moment she felt her confusion break. As before, she wants her future to be with this man, come what may.
Feeling she had one problem down, she moved to the next. "Cole?"
"Hmmm?"
"Have you ever heard of the Arcmage?"
"No."
"Have you ever heard of The Evalesco Manuel?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Could you find it? In the library ? ... Down there ... I mean."
"I suppose so. What do you want with it?"
"The resurrection spell. Can it be used to bring back Prue?"
"That's never been used on witches! Something could go very wrong!"
"Like what?"
"I can't say! It's never been done! Never! It's only used to bring back humans who have proved themselves useful to the demons. Even in that way it's seldom used; only in very extenuating cases."
"But is there a possibility?"
"I can't even begin to guess what the odds are. What brought this on all of a sudden?"
"I met this man called the Arcmage. He was designated by the Elders to marry Prue. He told me about this book and its spell. He said you'd know where it is and mentioned you by name."
"So you're willing to go out of your way to bring back Prue but not me."
"You wanted me to use the Grimoire, which only evil can touch. Had I turned evil again, do you think I'd bother to come back for you? You yourself told me that evil can't love."
Cole conceded, "You're right. I'm sorry I asked that of you."
"But for this spell in this Evalesco Manuel, I don't have to be evil. Do I?"
"No. Your new friend is right. You can use it without risking corruption."
"Then why didn't you ask me to bring you back with that?"
"Because it's so rarely used I totally forgot about it."
"Well, you remember it now."
"Are you sure you really want to try this? And on Prue?"
"As sure as I love you." They held each other tightly, so elated to be together again. She added, "One more thing -- I'm sure the Elders have some silly rule against this and will try to stop us if they find out. So don't let anyone know what we're doing. They may even be listening to all this right now."
"Well then, I'd better get started right now." One more kiss and he shimmered out.
Phoebe felt high. After so much pain and confusion, things were finally going right. Heading back to her room, she came to the framed photograph of herself with Prue and Piper. She picked it up and ran her fingers over Prue's face, remembering the sound of her voice and the feeling of her strong, protective presence.
Walking on holy ground.
The feeling will astound.
The dirt is such a brown.
River gushes at the edge of town.
Go back and tell the people
You saw a falling star.
It was a sign from heaven --
You can't stay where you are.
She took it back to bed with her and fell asleep, clutching it to her chest.
*****
Throughout the following day it was hard to concentrate on work. She tried diving straight into other people's problems but kept looking around, expecting Cole to shimmer into her office any minute. During lunch break she called home.
"Piper? Pheebs here. Anyone call for me? ... Or drop by to visit?"
"No. Are you expecting somebody?"
"No. Not really. Just ... want to know ... and if anyone does ... they should come here ... instead of there."
"Phoebe, is something wrong?"
She tried to sound cheerful. "No! What could be wrong? I just ... don't want anyone to miss me ... you know ... just in case."
After hanging up Piper couldn't help feeling how strange that sounded.
In your own office, no one notices that you don't bother to take lunch that day. No one can see you nervously watching the clock. That way there are no embarrassing questions.
After work Phoebe went straight home. Disappointed with the day's work, she brought work with her to get a head start on next day's. She shut herself up in the room and spread the papers on her writing table and bed. Soon there was a knock at her door.
"Come in!"
Piper leaned in. "Phoebe? Is everything all right?"
"Sure! Everything's fine!"
"I just want you to know that you can always come to me when you have problems."
"I know! And I appreciate it. But I am coping with what's been happening. In fact, ..." She gestured to the papers around her. "I'm back into helping other people with their problems."
"That's nice of you but you really shouldn't ignore your own."
"I'm not ignoring anything! Trust me! I really have a handle on everything. It's all getting better."
"All right. ... I just wasn't to be sure you know that I'm here for you."
"You always were. And I'm not ungrateful."
Piper left, still feeling that she hasn't reached her. Phoebe sighed with relief that that was over. She knows Piper means well but, as a wife of a whitelighter, she would not approve of what Phoebe was about to carry out.
It was a little later when Cole shimmered in.
Phoebe was excited. "Did you get it?"
"Bad news."
"What!"
"You know how all order down there has collapsed since you vanquished the Source, the Seer, and the High Council."
"Yes?"
"The library's been trashed."
Phoebe's hopes fell. "And the book destroyed?"
"Checked out, actually. I saw the register."
"Then you know who has it?"
"All I have is a name. I don't know him, where he is, or where he keeps his things."
"How can we find it now?"
"I've been thinking -- I can pretend to join one of the factions down there and get their help."
"Oh, Honey! Remember what happened the last time you did that! They took you over completely and made you kill a witch!"
"There's no other way!"
"We can both go down there and split up to search!"
"I don't want you taking that risk!"
"Why should you take all the risks? This is my sister we're talking about!"
"You don't have the power to survive that kind of danger!"
Suddenly the door burst open and Paige's wide-eyed face shot in. "Phoebe? Oh! Hi, Cole!"
"Paige," Cole acknowledged.
"Paige!" Phoebe snapped. "You're the one who demanded we knock before entering!"
"I know but I heard shouting! I thought you were in some kind of trouble!"
"No kind of trouble. Cole and I are having a personal discussion, so would you please...?"
"All right! Sorry! I'll just ... I'll just.... Welcome back, Cole." She closed the door.
Cole resumed, "All right. I remember how it happened last time, so I'll know what to look out for. The moment I feel a spell coming over me, I'll come straight back to you and you have a spell ready to counter it. That way we'll both be working together."
Phoebe reluctantly agreed. "All right. Just be very extra careful. I just hate it when you go off alone into danger."
"And I'd hate to bring you with me into danger."
*****
At the P3 Piper was going through the routine of preparing the club for opening, when Paige orbed in.
"Paige! Someone could have been here to see you!"
"Sorry! But something's going on!"
"What!"
"Phoebe and Cole are up to something!"
"What kind of something?"
"Something to do with going ‘down there'."
"Down where?"
Paige pointed downward.
"The basement?"
"No! The underworld! You know the place where demons live? Hello! They talked about taking risks and surviving dangers!"
"Well, going down to our basement can be risky."
"I'm serious!"
"So Cole is back?"
"Yes! He's in her room right now!"
"And you were eavesdropping?"
"I heard shouting. I thought she was under a demon attack or something. So I ran to her and, as I got closer, I heard them say something about both of them going down there and how each didn't want the other taking risks. Of course, she didn't appreciate me barging in out of concern for her life. And as I was leaving, I heard him say he wanted her to make some spell for her. Oh! And I also heard her say something about ‘my sister', but she didn't mention either of us by name."
"Probably me. I had a talk with her, trying to get her to open up to me with her problems. But she told me that everything is getting better."
"Didn't sound better a minute ago."
"Well, she and Cole are going through another rough period in their relationship. It's best that we let them work it out for themselves."
"I was right about my suspicions last time. Wasn't I?"
"Yes, you were. And if you tell me you saw Phoebe or Cole use magic for evil, I'll believe you. But a few sentences heard out of context are not enough for us to go charging into her personal life."
"You have noticed she's been withdrawn lately; obsessed with Prue's grave and not bringing her problems to you. And you don't think there's anything we should look into?"
Piper absently muttered, "Then there's that weird phone call."
"What weird phone call?"
"She asked if anyone was over to see her but would say who she was expecting. The whole thing sounded so strange."
"It was probably Cole and she didn't want you to know. Look! I can watch her and find out what she and Cole are up to."
"Spy on her?"
"In a word, yes."
"I don't want her thinking we can't trust her."
"But, by not telling us what's going on, isn't she showing that she doesn't trust us?"
Piper thought that over. "Watch her like a hawk!"
"I'm on it!" And she orbed out.
*****
Somewhere down below, in a dimly lit cavern, a faction of demons were gathered for a meeting. The leader had just finished giving a speech and the demons were milling around, talking with one another. Among them, Cole wandered around in a long coat and high collar, trying to keep his face hidden. But it was to no avail. A few recognized him and approached.
"Belthazor!"
"Aleccan," Cole acknowledged.
"We heard you were dead!"
"Well, you can't believe everything you hear."
"We also heard that you're a traitor. You allied yourself to witches."
"Just propaganda by enemy factions."
"So you decided to throw in your lot with Akkrus?"
"Yes. So far his offers are more beneficial than others I've heard."
"Indeed they are! He will make a superb Source!"
"I don't doubt it."
"Will you join us for a drink?"
"Not right now. I have something important to do. I'm looking for someone. Do any of you know a demon named Brember?"
The little group looked at each other and shook their heads. Aleccan asked, "Who is he?"
"Someone who owes me a favor. I believe I can recruit him for Akkrus."
"Excellent! Already you begin to benefit the cause."
"I benefit those who benefit me."
After he left, the little group murmured among themselves.
"Do you believe that it's only propaganda?"
"No. There's so much for so long about him. Even before the death of the Source."
"We must tell Akkrus."
"Right. He'll know what to do about him."
*****
Cole later shimmered into Phoebe's room where she waited for him.
"I got the ball rolling. I joined the faction of a demon named Akkrus. I know a few members there and asked them to look out for the one who has the book."
"How long do you think it will take?"
"Not long. It is a sizable group."
"I hope so. The longer you stay down there, the longer you're in danger."
"I know that. But my experiences can warn me when that danger is way too close. And when it does, I'll cut right out of there. I promise."
Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Cole shimmered out. Phoebe opened the door to Leo.
"I've got information about the Arcmage. Did I just hear Cole's voice?"
"Um ... Yes. He ... just left."
"Oh! I hope I didn't interrupt anything!"
"No! He was leaving anyway! Now about the Arcmage?"
"Oh yeah! I was just up there and learned a few things about him. For one thing, no one knows what he is."
"What?"
"He's not a witch, warlock, whitelighter, demon, or anything else we know. And he won't tell anyone what he is. But he does have immense power. So they call him Arcmage because it's most fitting term they can find."
"Arcmage ... as in ‘chief mage or magician'?"
"As in ‘supreme magician'."
"Supreme?!"
"We don't know the limits of his powers. All we know is that it's ... way out there."
"But he talks to the Elders. Does that mean he uses his powers for good?"
"As far as we know, yes."
"And what about him marrying Prue?"
"Well, ... one of them did say to him, ‘You should marry Prue'. But it was not any sort of command or arrangement or anything like that. It was a ... um ... put-down."
"How do you mean?"
"You and your sisters don't exactly follow all the rules all the time. So they consider you, ... at times, at bit ... rebellious."
"That's because some of their rules are so unreasonable and bog us down in our missions!"
"All right! All right! I'm not getting in the middle of this! It's just that they see you and your sisters as, ... let's say, stubbornly independent, and Derek McPhillips just as well. So all they were saying is that you three and he are alike. At the time that was said, I was engaged to Piper and you were just hooking up with Cole. So that left Prue available."
"Does he understand it that way?"
"Yes. And that's another thing. He's known as a joker. He likes to go around ... yanking everyone's chain, as you might put it. So we're warned not to believe everything he says."
"Okay. I'll remember that ... for the next time I ... if I see him again."
When Leo left, Phoebe began wondering about what he told her about the resurrection spell. But Cole had confirmed its existence. She didn't want doubts to weaken her resolve so felt that when her hands are on that book she'll know for sure.
*****
Later on, Piper headed to the front door to leave for work, when she heard a "Pssst!" Looking around she saw Paige peering out of a room. "Is Phoebe around?"
Piper looked around again. "No!"
Paige came out and scurried over to Piper. "Cole was in to see her again."
"What did he say?"
"He told her he joined a faction of demons."
"Oh my God! And what did she have to say about that?"
"She just asked how long it would take but I didn't catch what it was all about. He did say something about someone with a book, but not who this someone is or what book."
"I don't like the sound of this."
"Neither do I. Shouldn't we talk with her?"
"I tried that. Remember? She just denied anything was going on."
"But this time I can confront her with what I've heard."
"And let her know you've been spying on her? You know what that would lead to."
"So we just do nothing?"
"You just keep watching her. Listen further for anything more on this book. I'll talk to her later. This time I'll be more discreet rather than direct."
*****
Later, in the regions below, Aleccan privately conferred with Cole. "As you know, all these rumors against you are causing doubts."
"Yes, I know. So I'm not after any high office or any position close to power. I'm willing to work my way up from the bottom."
"Along with that, Akkrus wants a test of your loyalty."
"Of course. Did he say what kind of test it will be or how soon I'll have to do it?"
"No. Just be prepared at any moment to carry it out when he does command it."
"Sure. I'll be ready whenever he is."
"Good! He'll be glad to hear that."
Cole was shaking on the inside but on the outside he kept his cool. He calmly departed the area then, once out of sight, shimmered up to Phoebe's room.
She once again awaited an answer. "Well?"
"Which do you want first, the bad news or the worse news?"
"Oh God! What happened this time?"
"They want to test my loyalty."
"Which is?"
"They haven't said what or when, but I have a pretty good idea what it could be. As you've known, ever since we met, that any demon who kills the Charmed Ones will win a significant following."
"So you think they might ask you to kill us?"
"And if I refuse or if I agree but don't do it, you know what that means -- Dodging more bounty hunters for the rest of eternity."
"But they haven't told you what the test it yet. And they haven't told you when you'll have to do it. So that still gives you more time to look for the book."
"I do know the test will involve killing some innocent; if not you and your sisters, then someone else. All tests for demons involve killing someone innocent. And the assignment could be given me any minute now."
Phoebe sat down with a heavy sigh. It didn't seem that long ago that it was so close.
"Phoebe, Is all this really worth it?"
She jumped to her feet. "OFF COURSE IT'S WORTH IT!!! Prue gave up so much for everyone else! She even gave up her life! And what does she get in return? What have the Elders done for her? For us? We lost an older sister; someone who loved us, protected us, gave us real answers!"
"Do you want her back for yourself or for her?"
"For both of us! For all of us! Not just what she can do for us but so she can have the life she deserves! She never had a chance to enjoy life! She never had a chance to get married! She never had a chance to be a mother, which she wanted to be!" By now she was in tears.
Cole took her into his arms. "I understand what it's like to lose someone so close. But there are some things that are just not meant to be changed. Maybe the Elders are right."
"NO! THEY ARE NOT!!! WHAT DO THEY CARE HOW WE FEEL OR WHAT WE GO THROUGH?" She began pounding on his chest. "I WANT MY SISTER!!! I WANT MY SISTER!!! I WANT MY SISTER!!! ...."
He seized her by the wrists. "All right! All right! I'll do this for you! But if I can't find it after two more visits to the faction, we'll have to think of another way. I'm cutting it close as it is."
Cole shimmered out. Phoebe threw herself on the bed and sobbed heavily
Walking on holy ground.
I don't know how long I'll be around.
I can hear the sound
Of trumpets blowing, coming down.
Don't wanna leave here.
Gimme time to prove that
For all I know
There are things I haven't done yet.
Yeah, go back and tell the people
You saw a falling star.
It was a sign from heaven --
You can't stay where you are.
Walking on holy ground.
I don't know how long I'll be around.
*****
Piper was in the kitchen when Paige quietly stole in.
"Okay! Things are getting worse! I mean really worse!"
"What happened?"
"Phoebe's crying! I mean really crying! I heard her yelling at Cole, saying ‘I want my sister! I want my sister!' Now she's crying her heart out!"
"All right. We can't hold back any longer."
Piper marched out of the kitchen and up the stairs with Paige right behind. But when they reached her room they found the door open and no one inside.
Piper turned to Paige. "Where did she go now?"
Paige shrugged.
Piper wondered, "Could she have gone down below?"
"Below where? The basement?"
"Funny!"
"Cole said he wouldn't take her there. He doesn't want her in danger."
"But Phoebe can pretty insistent and get her way with just about anyone."
"How can we find out?"
Piper thought a moment. "You're part whitelighter. Maybe you can use your ‘radar'."
"My what?!"
"Leo has some kind of ‘radar' thing to keep track of us. He can see where we are and what's going on with us from a distance. You might have it too."
"How do I use this ‘radar'?"
"Leo closes his eyes and concentrates. Give that a try."
Paige closed her eyes are took a deep breathe. In a few seconds she looked up in surprise.
"What is it?" Piper asked.
"She's on the roof!"
"You mean the roof of our house? What's she doing up there?"
"Just sitting there, wrapped in a blanket."
"But why would she go up to the roof?"
"She has the power of premonition. Maybe she saw us coming, so to avoid a confrontation, she levitated out the attic window to the roof, hoping to hide from us."
Piper sighed and shook her head. "Just ... get her down from there."
Paige orbed up to the roof to where Phoebe sat, wrapped in a blanket and her face buried in her knees.
"Oh, Phoebe! Come on down and let Piper and me help you with your problem!"
"Go away!"
"Come on! We hate to see you all bent out of shape like this! Come down and talk with us!"
"It's my problem! I'm handling it!"
"Well, you're not handling very well! How's sitting on the roof, wrapped in a blanket handling it? Come on, Phoebe! Come back in and let's talk about it."
She put her arms around her and orbed her back into her bedroom. Phoebe threw off her blanket and turned on Paige in a fury.
"HOW DARE YOU? DON'T YOU EVER ORB ME ANYWHERE AGAINST MY WILL! YOU HEAR ME? NOW GET OUT OF HERE!!!"
She seized Paige by the back of the neck and her upper arm and violently shoved her towards the door. Frightened, Paige ran out of the room and nearly ran into Piper.
"You were right! The direct confrontation was not a good idea!"
"It's better we confront her before she turns evil; rather than after."
The door slammed shut and they heard furniture being pushed up against it.
Piper began pounding on the door. "PHOEBE!!! DON'T YOU BARRICADE ME OUT!!! OPEN THIS DOOR!!! ... PHOEBE!!! ...." She turned to Paige. "Orb in there and open this door!"
She folded her arms and shook her head. "No way am I orbing into there without an air rifle and a tranquilizer dart!"
Piper was now frustrated with both sisters. She huffed and fumed then thought awhile. She gestured Paige to move away from the door and they went downstairs.
"All right. I have to go open the club soon. So you keep watch on her. If you get a change to meet up with Cole before she does, talk with him. He may be more reasonable than she is at the moment. I'll keep our personal alcove, at the club, curtained off. If anything important develops, in case of any emergency, you orb to me in that area."
"Right! Talk to Cole. Orb into the alcove. Got it!"
*****
In the realms below, Cole nervously paced a dim corridor. Soon a small hooded figure approached him. "Belthazor!"
"Yes. Are you Brember?"
"No. I am Podagrus. But I do know the whereabouts of Brember's abode."
"Can you tell me where it is?"
"I must lead you there. But it is in the territory of an enemy faction. It is very dangerous."
"I'm willing to take that risk. I can persuade this one to follow Akkrus. We must take many risks for the new Source."
"Commendable!"
"The sooner the better. Lead on."
Cole and Podagrus, buried in long robes and hoods, cautiously slinked through various dark passages, sneaking past other roaming demons and crawling creatures. After some time, they came to a bend in a winding passage. Podagrus reached into the darkness and pulled aside some shabby drapery, revealing a hidden doorway.
"It is in here. But he may not be in."
"I'll check. You wait outside to warn me if any of the enemy approaches. I won't be long."
He stepped on into the total darkness but could feel the largeness of the room around him. He held up a hand and it began glowing by his new powers. He could see little niches in the walls, where candles are set. He went up to one of them, and touching his fingers to the wicks, began lighting the candles. Soon he was able to see the room. It was totally trashed. Furniture was turned over and other objects were smashed and scattered as debris all over the floor. He took one of the lit candles and began inspection of the other rooms.
Outside, a group of demons approached Podagrus.
The lead among them asked, "Is he within?"
"He is. He should be out very soon."
He turned to the others. "When he comes out, kill him."
*****
Cole eventually came to a room which appeared to have been the personal library. Bookshelves lay broken as scattered wood. Books of every size were strewn all over the floor and they were very many of them. Cole's heart sank. He would have to look at each one, which could take days. And in a few minutes his new ally outside would become suspicious. He would come in asking questions and Cole would have to think up new stories to tell him. But maybe he'd get lucky and find after the first few tries. He put the candle onto a candlestand and prepared to get to the task.
"Is this what you're looking for?" Cole turned to see a man in an Australian hat, khakis, and a light brown vest. He held out a book before him.
Cole snatched it from his hand and began scanning its pages. This was it! He was sure of it. Looking up from the book, he found the stranger gone. This made him very suspicious. Quickly he blew out the candle and shimmered out of there.
*****
Later that night, Phoebe cautiously emerged from her room. She headed downstairs to the kitchen. She didn't bother turning on any lights and kept listening if anyone was around. She peered into the refrigerator and began pulling out several leftovers. Suddenly Cole shimmered in. Startled, Phoebe dropped everything.
"I got it!" Cole triumphantly announced.
"YOU GOT? YOU REALLY GOT IT? OH, HONEY!!! YOU'RE MAGNIFICENT!!!" She turned on the light and Cole set the book on the kitchen table. "Does it have the resurrection spell?"
"That's what I went through hell for. (Literally.)" Cole leafed through the pages to the spell. "Right here."
"But it's in some foreign language."
"Sumerian. I can read it. I'll just read it to you and you can repeat it."
"Great! Let's get this off to Prue right now!"
Cole shimmered out with her and the book. Slowly Paige emerge from under the table, wide-eyed and shuddering. She took awhile to recover then orbed out.
In the mausoleum, Cole lit the candles with the tip of his fingers. Phoebe, holding the book open, kept repositioning herself around different points of Prue's grave.
Cole asked her, "What are you doing?"
"I had a premonition of Prue's grave blowing open and its cover going straight across the room. So we have to stay out of its way. Also I think I should be in the position in relation to how I saw it in my vision."
"The spell will work no matter where you stand."
"But there are many dead here. How will the spell know which to resurrect."
"You add Prue's name to the first line of the spell."
"All right. I think I'm in the right position. Let's do this."
Cole stood behind Phoebe, reading the book over her shoulder. She repeated what Cole uttered, one line at a time. They were on the last line when Leo, Piper, and Paige orbed in.
Piper barked, "PHOEBE!!! STOP THIS!!! STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!!!"
The power of her command stopped her and she turned her head towards them. Like a deer in the headlights, she was momentarily paralyzed by indecision.
"Phoebe, please! Don't do this!"
But the determination that got her this far pushed through. She turned back to the grave and pronounced the last line of the spell. The grave blew open with such a force, everyone was bowled off of their feet. The cover shot across the mausoleum and smashed to pieces on the floor. Everyone got up quickly to see the results.
Phoebe cautiously approached the grave and feebly called, "Prue?"
Piper snapped, "Phoebe! What have you done?"
"I'm not sure yet. ... Prue?"
They heard coughing from within then a moan. Everyone froze in their places. Then a raspy voice came from the darkness. "Phoebe?"
"Yes! It's me! I'm here, Prue!"
"Where am I? What's happening?"
"Give me you hand! I'll help you out!"
Two hands reached out of the opening. Both Phoebe and Piper ran to it. Each took a hand and the two sisters worked together pulling her out. Then the others joined them to see the results. What they saw jolted them with a shock.
Piper hoarsely whispered, "Oh my God!"
"What!" Prue demanded. "What's the matter?"
-- TO BE CONTINUED --
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