"Well, you know how soundly she sleeps," Piper told her as she entered the hut. "She exhausted herself today, the fight we had took more out of her then she realized."
"No Piper, its more then that. She's not even muttering like she does when we try to wake her." Prue was starting to really worry, was the poison once again attacking her system?
"Charles!" Piper yelled out the door remembering what he had said about the herbs she had given Phoebe, and some of the possible side effects. Her pulse started to race as she remembered his telling of another survivor who had taken too much, causing them to fall asleep, never to awaken again. In trying to help her sister, had she killed her?
"What?" he asked walking in and seeing the concerned faces looking at him. Prue still a little unsure of him, and Piper looked guilty. "What's wrong?" he asked again.
"We can't wake Phoebe up, and I just remembered what you said about giving her to much of the herbs. Do you think...?" her voice choked in her throat.
Walking over to the cot Charles exchanged looks with Prue, who reluctantly moved aside so he could look at her. Sitting down on the bed, he reached out touching her forehead, and as he touched her, he felt it. Her essence was dim, someone had taken a part of her, leaving only enough to keep the body alive!
"No" he whispered looking at her sisters with horror. "She said we had four days."
"Who? What are you talking about?" Prue said, glaring at him.
"The Ancient One. She gave us four days to free them"
"What in the hell are you talking about?" Prue almost yelled, her temper flaring again.
Charles looked into the eyes of the oldest sister, trying to gage her temper, knowing he would have to tread lightly in his explanation. She did not trust him as she had, and for that, he could not blame her. The bond the three shared was stronger then any he had ever seen before and he was about to put it to the ultimate challenge.
"For eon's, this island has been a gathering ground of sorts for the dead. When a person dies here, they can not move on, their spirit is trapped, unable to pass on to the afterlife. The Ancient One rules over all, in the city where you were." he said, looking at Prue. "From there, she can sense when someone of power arrives, and it's that power that 'feeds' them, allowing them to keep from slowly disappearing into nothingness."
"What does this have to do with giving us four days?" Prue asked, not really wanting a history lesson.
"When you three arrived, we could all sense your 'auras' so to speak. And for the first time that anyone could remember, it drew her from the city, it was so strong. She hopes to use your power, your essence, to escape, but she is not sure if it will work. I managed to convince her that you three could remove the curse."
"Why do you think we can do that?" Piper asked, sensing his honesty.
"Because you are the Charmed One's." he replied, hoping that his hunch was right.
"So, this is one of the all powerful Charmed One's?" the spirit of an 19th century sailor asked, looking at the still form his mistress had brought them. "She doesn't look like she's all that strong, but I can feel her power, can I try just a little?" he asked, looking at the throne.
"No, first I want to test her, to see just how strong her essence, and in turn, her sisters, are." Stepping down from her seat, the Ancient One advanced on her, lifting the enchantment keeping her spirit asleep. As she stirred, she watched her, looking for signs of weakness, finding none. "Awake!" she commanded.
Phoebe opened her eyes, then closed them again, hoping she was just dreaming, but, as she peered out again, she knew she was wrong. She also knew she was in big trouble, as she saw the willowy beauty approaching. "Who are you? What do you want now?" she asked.
"I just want to see what you 'taste' like, my precious little witch." she said, walking towards her.
"Wh..what do you mean?" Phoebe said, trying to back away.
They watched from the background, after all these years, their salvation was at hand, and now, it could all disappear, lost to the hunger and ambition of one. They had to help the witch, but how?
Glaring at Charles, Prue felt her sister put a hand on her arm, urging her silently to let him continue. As she looked into the soft brown eye's of the middle child, she calmed a bit, still wondering how he knew.
"Yes, I know who you are, or at least I hope you are, for only your magic is powerful enough to break the spell. There is something else I need to tell you." He said softly, looking at the ground, unable to face them as he revealed yet another secret.
"I did die, fifteen years ago, from old age, but, in reality, I have 'died' several times, each time I come back here, because I refuse to join them, to live as they do. My body is still alive, through the magic present on the island, but my soul already belongs to death. When the spell holding us here is lifted, the magic that keeps me 'mortal' will vanish, and I will finally be at peace."
"What do you mean, you've died several times?" Prue asked, her mind whirling.
"Do you remember the story about the young male witch?" he said, looking up at them as he revealed his final secret. "That was me."
"Don't worry little one, this won't hurt you; much." She said latching onto the young witch's essence, pulling it out towards her, waiting to see what she would do.
Looking at the light streaming between them, Phoebe concentrated, willing the flow to stop as she felt her energy dim, her limbs tingling as though they had fallen asleep. Using the last bit of will power she had, Phoebe pushed her away, then sat back as the connection was broken leaving her weak, but whole.
The Ancient One was surprised, never before had someone been able to do that; resisted her. Standing there lost in thought, she never noticed as several of the spirits left, heading for the jungle, and the hut hidden in it.
'Maybe its true?' She thought 'Maybe they were the ones who would free them. She would keep her here, watching to see what the others would do.'
"You...your, a witch!" Piper cried her surprise, making her grip Prue's arm, earning her a look. "Oh, sorry." she apologized, letting go.
"So how can we do anything to remove the curse? We don't have our powers." Prue asked him.
"No, but you do still have your magic, you can still cast spells." he explained, surprised that they had not figured it out. "You do have a spell to remove curses don't you?"
"Well...not handy, we don't usually carry them with us, and Phoebe is our resident spell writer." Piper said, looking at her sisters' silent body.
"Now what are we going to do?" Charles asked
"We get her back!" Prue said, a determined note in her voice.
"We can help," a strange voice said from behind them. "If you will let us."
Turning around, they saw a group of ten spirits standing outside, their age and dress varying wildly, but they all wore the same look on their faces: A look of hope.