SIX
"This can't be coincidence," said Piper. "It's a good thing we left Darryl at the manor. I don't think he could handle this right now."
"It's not coincidence," said Jerrod. "It would explain why city hall has suddenly changed into a castle. The magic would be strongest wherever the slippers are. And it would emanate outward from there."
"Well this certainly looks like a real castle," said Phoebe, looking around the elaborate hall they all stood in. "Right down to the suits of armor in the corners. Did they really have those in real castles?"
"Not that I know of," said Cole. "Castles were usually the home to the wealthy or nobility. Having suits of armor standing around in the hallways would be a waste. All they would do is rust. Armor was a defensive implement for knights and the nobles."
"You seem to know a lot about it," said Paige.
"I took a couple of classes in college," said Cole. "I've always been fascinated by the medieval time period."
"This isn't right," said Jerrod.
"What isn't?" Leo asked.
"This," said Jerrod, indicating the large room. "It's too complete, too specific. It's almost like someone has designed all this."
"Well, you did say that the fantasy magic would change reality to conform with it," said Paige. "Wouldn't you expect something like this?"
"The castle, yes. But not all of the details. Look at the engraving in the walls. And the pattern on the floor. It's too perfect."
"I don't understand," said Piper.
"Fantasy magic would create the basics of the changes. The basic castle, for instance. But the details could only be provided by someone's imagination. The armor, the engravings, the pattern in the floor, all of it would have to have been provided by someone's imagination."
"But that would mean that someone has the slippers," said Cole.
"Yes, but that's clearly not possible," said Jerrod. "It would mean that whomever has the slippers has been able to control both fantasy magic and real magic. And as I've all ready told you, no one has even come close to doing that."
"Maybe they're doing it without realizing it," suggested Paige.
"I suppose it's possible," said Jerrod. "And if that's the case it would be a simple matter to put things back. If someone is using the slippers that means everything has been done by their design, either consciously or subconsciously. All we need to do is relieve them of the slippers and that should stop the changes and put things back."
"I thought only the rightful owner could use the magic of the slippers?" questioned Paige.
"Normally, yes," said Jerrod. "But when Phoebe used the slippers the last time she would have removed herself from the fantasy realm. That's why the slippers vanished when things were put right. And since the slippers rightfully belonged to Dorothy, who no longer exists, then whomever picked up the slippers the first time would have become their rightful owner."
"So how do we get the slippers from them?" Leo asked. "You said they can't be forcibly taken from the rightful owner. They have to be freely given."
"Then we'll just have to convince them to give the slippers to us," said Jerrod, smiling. "And no, I don't mean in a bad way. We'll just have to make them understand how dangerous this is. I'm sure it shouldn't be too difficult to convince a mortal how dangerous using magic can be."
"You might be surprised," said Paige. "Having all that power can be very intoxicating. I know. It happened to me when I first met Piper and Phoebe."
"We can only try," said Jerrod. "Who knows? The person may not even know they're doing all this."
"Then we'd better find them fast," said Leo. "Before the changes become to great. The longer this goes on the harder it could be to put things back. Remember the last time? We nearly didn't get things fixed in time. If the magic takes on a life of its own like it did last time we could have a whole new problem on our hands."
"Well," said Piper, looking at Phoebe and Jerrod, "you two said the slippers are here somewhere. Any idea where they might be?"
"Probably the throne room," said Jerrod. "That would be the focal point of the castle. So it stands to reason that's where they'd be."
"That make sense," said Phoebe. "But just where is the throne room?"
"It shouldn't be too hard to find. Can't you feel the strength of the magic? It's stronger here than it was at the manor. The closer we get to the slippers the stronger that feeling will be."
"You're right," said Phoebe. "It is stronger here. I can feel it. It's almost like it's drawing me to it."
"That's because it is, in a way," said Jerrod. "All we have to do is follow the pull of the magic and it will lead us right to it."
"Well, then, lead on," said Piper. "I, for one, would like to get this over with."
Together Phoebe and Jerrod turned and began to walk down a hallway out of the room they were in. The others followed as they negotiated the passages in the castle as if they knew exactly where they were going. Within a few minutes they entered a smaller room that had a dais in the center of it and what appeared to be a spotlight shining on the dais.
"That's strange," said Piper. "I can't see any light source for that light."
"Probably created by whomever is using the slippers," said Jerrod. "They're in here somewhere, I can feel their magic. They're in this room somewhere."
"I can feel them too," said Phoebe. "But I can't get a fix on them. It's almost as if they're masked or hidden somehow."
"Not masked. And not hidden either. Deflected you might say. I'm very surprised that you were able to find them. That shouldn't have been possible."
"Who's there?" Cole asked. "Whoever you are, show yourself. Or are you too much of a coward?"
"Trying to goad me?" questioned the disembodied voice. "I would have expected more from the great Belthazor."
"Whoever you are," said Piper, "you might as well show yourself. We aren't going away."
Suddenly a form began to form in the middle of the dais inside the light. When it had fully formed it was a woman about twenty-five wearing a nearly floor-length black dress. Her brown hair fluttered as if blown by a light breeze. And on her feet sat the ruby slippers that glistened in the light from overhead.
"Hello Piper," said the woman. "Long time no see. And Phoebe, too. It's good to see both of you again. It's a shame Prue isn't here to join in the reunion. This must be the fourth sister I've heard all those rumors about. Paige, isn't it?"
"Abby?" questioned Piper in confusion.
"You know her?" Paige asked.
"Yeah, we know her," said Phoebe. "She worked at P3 for a while. Then she went crazy and tried to kill Prue and take her place. Last I heard she was being sent to a psychiatric hospital for evaluation."
"Plans change," said Abby. "And Jerrod. Why am I not surprised to see you here? You should be on my side."
"Hello, Abigail," said Jerrod. "A lot of this make sense now. A whole lot of sense."
"How do you know her?" Leo asked.
"We're old friends," said Jerrod. "Well, maybe not exactly friends. More like colleagues you might say."
"What do you mean colleagues?" Cole asked.
"Abigail is a Mystic Warlock," said Jerrod.
