Paige orbed into the room and swore when she saw Piper apparently frozen and Leo sprawled unconscious on the floor. She ran over to Piper and waved her hands in front of her motionless face. Her eyes were wide and her face held a look of confusion. Paige pushed Piper and she immediately unfroze.
"Why won't you…. hey?"
Piper stared in bewilderment at the empty space in front of her. Only a second ago there had been a demon standing there. More to the point a demon who had knocked out Leo and had some kind of immunity to her powers. She turned and saw Paige, who was trying not to laugh at Pipers expression. Piper gently smacked her arm and went to rouse Leo. He stood up and then went to sit down on the sofa, rubbing a bruise under his eye. Paige asked what had just happened.
"Ok, well. Me and Phoebe were in here, just doing chores, when a demon shimmered in and started to attack us."
"No change from normal then."
Said Paige, with a sardonic smile. Piper threw a cushion at her and carried on.
"Leo tried to orb off to get you, but the demon punched him and he ended up out of it on the floor. Then Phoebe levitated and went all kung fu on him. It distracted him while I froze him."
She gave a dissatisfied snort and corrected herself.
"While I tried to freeze him, I should say."
"What happened then? Something obviously went wrong."
Paige interjected. Piper frowned and Leo laughed.
"If you'd just let me finish, I could tell you!"
Paige held up her hands in defence and put on a mock hurt face. Piper stuck out her tongue and continued.
"Ok, like I said, I TRIED to freeze him. But he had some kind of deflection power, and the power reflected back onto me. So I ended up freezing myself."
"So what happened to the demon?"
"I…um. Well, I suppose Phoebe finished it off. Oh my god! Where is Phoebe?"
Piper jumped to her feet and looked around franticly. There was no sign of Phoebe anywhere in the room.
"Leo can you sense her?"
He shut his eyes and tried to locate her. There was something, he knew she was alive somewhere.
"I can't trace her anywhere Piper. But I do know she's alive…. Somewhere."
"Geez Leo! That doesn't help much.
Piper glowered at him and looked equally angry back at her.
"Don't give me that attitude Piper. You know that there are certain places that block my ability to sense my charges! Now if I have your permission I'll go and check with the Elders."
Leo orbed out and Paige rolled her eyes. She hadn't a very a high opinion of the Elders, but then who did? Piper mirrored her look and they both laughed.
"I don't see any point in waiting for Leo to return. Any information he brings back will be vague at best and it might be too late by the time he returns."
Paige nodded and used her power to summon the book into her arms.
"I'm thinking…spell to call a lost witch. Any problem with that?"
Piper shook her head and laughed inwardly at Paige's manner. It wasn't so long ago that she unsure of herself and the way to use magic. They began chanting together.
"Powers of the witches rise,
Course unseen across the skies…"
* * *
Phoebe awoke with a start. Nalia and Serena broke off their quiet discussion, and looked anxiously at her.
"What's the matter Phoebe? Is something wrong?"
Serena asked, as she laid her hand on Phoebe's forehead. Phoebe shook her head and blinked a few times.
"No, I mean yes I'm ok and no there's nothing wrong. I just felt sure that…. no its nothing."
She began to sit up but Nalia stopped her, with a gentle push.
"You must tell us if you felt anything. And you did feel something, didn't you?"
Phoebe paused and spoke unsurely.
"I.. um..I can't really explain it. It felt like my sisters were close by. Well, not close by. But trying to contact me somehow. It was like….oh! Oh, I felt it again!"
Serena and Nalia exchanged puzzled glances. Phoebe suddenly gasped and looked at her hand. It had begun to sparkle, with bright white shapes. They flickered and started to spread up her arm. She stared open mouthed at Serena, who had stood up and was calling for Johal. By the time he arrived, the swirling light had covered her whole body and she was flickering, parts of her body disappearing and reappearing. The talisman around her neck was vibrating and pulsing with red light. Phoebe just lay still, not knowing what she was meant to, or even could, do.
* * *
Piper and Paige were still chanting, though their voices were tiring. They were looking at the wavering image of Phoebe, with baffled expressions. Something was pulsing a harsh red light, and it was coming from Phoebe. Without warning, it shone brighter and Phoebe disappeared completely. They stopped chanting the spell and stared wordlessly at each other. Paige broke the silence.
"What the hell was that all about? Why couldn't she materialise completely?"
Piper shrugged and started flipping through the book.
"I have no idea, although I suspect that red light had something to do with it. Well, the calling a lost witch spell didn't do much good. How about a magic to magic spell?"
Paige didn't really know. Piper was treating her like Phoebe, like an experienced witch. She didn't know if she was up to Piper's standards.
"Um, sure. Or I could try and orb us to wherever she is. Its worth a try isn't it?"
With a nod, Piper walked over to Paige. Paige hoped she'd be able to do it.
"What shall I orb to?"
Piper gave her a strange look.
"What do you mean?"
"I have to focus on something when I want to orb. If Phoebe has been captured then maybe orbing directly to her wouldn't be the best thing to do."
"Good thinking. Can you try and focus on a more general place? Like, near the place she was taken to?"
Paige nodded and shut her eyes. She focussed and in a cloud of light she and Piper orbed out.
* * *
"Phoebe! Phoebe, are you ok?"
Serena had grabbed the cup from Johal and trying to make a dazed Phoebe drink from it. Nalia had propped her up and was holding her hand. Phoebe weakly gripped it and nodded.
"Yeah, I'm ok. Just a little shocked I guess."
"Do you know what just happened?"
Phoebe gave a happy smile and nodded again.
"It was my sisters, they tried to bring me back with a spell. But it looks like that damn talisman blocked their magic as much as it blocks mine."
She gestured angrily at the pendant round her neck, and then took the drink Serena was offering her.
"The good news is that news is that my sisters know I am gone and are taking steps to get me back."
"But what if they haven't got anything strong enough to take you back to them?"
"Then the next step they'd take would be coming to me, instead of taking me to them."
Nalia tightened her lips and tapped her finger on them. She sat quietly thinking, until Serena tapped her arm with an anxious look on her face. Nalia gave a start and looked sheepishly at her.
"I was just thinking of how we could utilize the power of three. If your sisters arrive and manage to get to use before Nilim and his talismans get them, then they can free us all. With our powers liberated we would be able take down Nilim and stop his sick little game once and for all."
She stared wistfully into space and Phoebe gave her a resolute grin.
"We'll try our hardest Nalia, I promise we will."
She was cut off by a tall, shadowed shape, which appeared in the doorway. Nalia's hand went to her throat and tears filled her eyes.
"Tate…"
He walked into the room and she got up and ran to him, capturing him in a fierce embrace. He held her and kissed the top of her head, as she cried into his chest. She was muttering the same words over and over.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Tate. I'm sorry…I'm.."
He grasped her face in one hand and angled it towards his own. The he kissed her. At first she struggled and tried to break away, but then she gave in and kissed him back. Tate broke the kiss and led her out of the room. Nalia shot Serena and Phoebe an unsure look at she went out the door. They both giggled and Phoebe finished her drink.
* * *
Piper and Paige appeared in behind a dais, with a throne and some other seats on. Piper looked around, her hands held at the ready. The only person in the room was a woman in chains. They cautiously approached her. She heard their footsteps and recoiled against the wall. Her chains rattled and clanked on the rough stone floor.
"Hey there, calm down its ok. We're not going to hurt you."
She heard a gentle feminine voice and turned to face it. Piper saw the blood stains round her mouth, and her hand went to her mouth in shock. Paige back away slightly, but she couldn't help but feel sorry for her. The chained woman whimpered and held her hands out imploringly as she spoke.
"Help…me. Please, I can't go on like this. He makes me…he make me…"
She curled into a ball and shook slightly. Piper bent down to comfort her, but the woman shuddered at her touch and shifted away.
"Paige, get those chains off her. We've got to help the poor thing."
"Chains!"
The chains were covered in light and Paige sent them behind the throne, where she hoped no one would find them. She almost laughed to herself. Not that anyone would care about chains when they discovered the woman was gone.
"Look, we freed you. Its ok now. Who made you do those things? What things did he make you do?"
The woman straightened up and told them of Nilim and the Arena. Listening in a shocked silence, they heard of what went on here and of the most recent vision the woman had.
"So you are saying that Phoebe is now one of these.. these…slaves? And she is being forced to fight in this Arena thing?"
The woman told them all she knew and then broke down crying again.
"What's the matter now? Surely you can escape now?"
"No, the talismans. They block powers and magic. With this on me, I am a prisoner for ever."
"Isn't there anyway for you to get them off? No wait, dumb question. If there was you would have already done it."
Paige blushed and looked embarrassed. Piper laughed, and then turned to the woman.
"If you don't mind I'll try and blow up the talisman. It should come right off."
"She hardly ever misses anymore, so your chances are good."
"Paige! You'll scare her."
Piper flicked her hands at the Talisman. It remained intact, and began to glow.
"Damn talisman. I'll try again."
She tried to blow up the talisman. But it just glowed again. Piper almost yelled in frustration.
"Paige we're gonna have to write a spell or something."
"What? Just on the spot without Phoebe here?"
"I know that she is the one who usually writes spells, but we have to do something to help her."
She gestured to the woman, who was once again on the floor, rocking herself.
"Ok, well here goes I guess."
"Free this woman,
Let her be,
With this spell,
Let powers flow free."
The pendant shone with a blinding light and then shattered. The woman rose to her feet, vitality flooding back to her ashen face.
"Thank you so much, I..I can't tell you what it feels like to have my power back. And my freedom! If you don't mind I have to go and tell others about this place. With any luck I'll prevent anyone else coming back to this accursed place. Thank you again."
"Think nothing of it."
"All in a days work for the Charmed Ones."
She smiled and disappeared, in a flash of blue light. Piper took Paige's arm and they looked at the dark passage at the end of the room.
"And now for Phoebe."
"Why won't you…. hey?"
Piper stared in bewilderment at the empty space in front of her. Only a second ago there had been a demon standing there. More to the point a demon who had knocked out Leo and had some kind of immunity to her powers. She turned and saw Paige, who was trying not to laugh at Pipers expression. Piper gently smacked her arm and went to rouse Leo. He stood up and then went to sit down on the sofa, rubbing a bruise under his eye. Paige asked what had just happened.
"Ok, well. Me and Phoebe were in here, just doing chores, when a demon shimmered in and started to attack us."
"No change from normal then."
Said Paige, with a sardonic smile. Piper threw a cushion at her and carried on.
"Leo tried to orb off to get you, but the demon punched him and he ended up out of it on the floor. Then Phoebe levitated and went all kung fu on him. It distracted him while I froze him."
She gave a dissatisfied snort and corrected herself.
"While I tried to freeze him, I should say."
"What happened then? Something obviously went wrong."
Paige interjected. Piper frowned and Leo laughed.
"If you'd just let me finish, I could tell you!"
Paige held up her hands in defence and put on a mock hurt face. Piper stuck out her tongue and continued.
"Ok, like I said, I TRIED to freeze him. But he had some kind of deflection power, and the power reflected back onto me. So I ended up freezing myself."
"So what happened to the demon?"
"I…um. Well, I suppose Phoebe finished it off. Oh my god! Where is Phoebe?"
Piper jumped to her feet and looked around franticly. There was no sign of Phoebe anywhere in the room.
"Leo can you sense her?"
He shut his eyes and tried to locate her. There was something, he knew she was alive somewhere.
"I can't trace her anywhere Piper. But I do know she's alive…. Somewhere."
"Geez Leo! That doesn't help much.
Piper glowered at him and looked equally angry back at her.
"Don't give me that attitude Piper. You know that there are certain places that block my ability to sense my charges! Now if I have your permission I'll go and check with the Elders."
Leo orbed out and Paige rolled her eyes. She hadn't a very a high opinion of the Elders, but then who did? Piper mirrored her look and they both laughed.
"I don't see any point in waiting for Leo to return. Any information he brings back will be vague at best and it might be too late by the time he returns."
Paige nodded and used her power to summon the book into her arms.
"I'm thinking…spell to call a lost witch. Any problem with that?"
Piper shook her head and laughed inwardly at Paige's manner. It wasn't so long ago that she unsure of herself and the way to use magic. They began chanting together.
"Powers of the witches rise,
Course unseen across the skies…"
* * *
Phoebe awoke with a start. Nalia and Serena broke off their quiet discussion, and looked anxiously at her.
"What's the matter Phoebe? Is something wrong?"
Serena asked, as she laid her hand on Phoebe's forehead. Phoebe shook her head and blinked a few times.
"No, I mean yes I'm ok and no there's nothing wrong. I just felt sure that…. no its nothing."
She began to sit up but Nalia stopped her, with a gentle push.
"You must tell us if you felt anything. And you did feel something, didn't you?"
Phoebe paused and spoke unsurely.
"I.. um..I can't really explain it. It felt like my sisters were close by. Well, not close by. But trying to contact me somehow. It was like….oh! Oh, I felt it again!"
Serena and Nalia exchanged puzzled glances. Phoebe suddenly gasped and looked at her hand. It had begun to sparkle, with bright white shapes. They flickered and started to spread up her arm. She stared open mouthed at Serena, who had stood up and was calling for Johal. By the time he arrived, the swirling light had covered her whole body and she was flickering, parts of her body disappearing and reappearing. The talisman around her neck was vibrating and pulsing with red light. Phoebe just lay still, not knowing what she was meant to, or even could, do.
* * *
Piper and Paige were still chanting, though their voices were tiring. They were looking at the wavering image of Phoebe, with baffled expressions. Something was pulsing a harsh red light, and it was coming from Phoebe. Without warning, it shone brighter and Phoebe disappeared completely. They stopped chanting the spell and stared wordlessly at each other. Paige broke the silence.
"What the hell was that all about? Why couldn't she materialise completely?"
Piper shrugged and started flipping through the book.
"I have no idea, although I suspect that red light had something to do with it. Well, the calling a lost witch spell didn't do much good. How about a magic to magic spell?"
Paige didn't really know. Piper was treating her like Phoebe, like an experienced witch. She didn't know if she was up to Piper's standards.
"Um, sure. Or I could try and orb us to wherever she is. Its worth a try isn't it?"
With a nod, Piper walked over to Paige. Paige hoped she'd be able to do it.
"What shall I orb to?"
Piper gave her a strange look.
"What do you mean?"
"I have to focus on something when I want to orb. If Phoebe has been captured then maybe orbing directly to her wouldn't be the best thing to do."
"Good thinking. Can you try and focus on a more general place? Like, near the place she was taken to?"
Paige nodded and shut her eyes. She focussed and in a cloud of light she and Piper orbed out.
* * *
"Phoebe! Phoebe, are you ok?"
Serena had grabbed the cup from Johal and trying to make a dazed Phoebe drink from it. Nalia had propped her up and was holding her hand. Phoebe weakly gripped it and nodded.
"Yeah, I'm ok. Just a little shocked I guess."
"Do you know what just happened?"
Phoebe gave a happy smile and nodded again.
"It was my sisters, they tried to bring me back with a spell. But it looks like that damn talisman blocked their magic as much as it blocks mine."
She gestured angrily at the pendant round her neck, and then took the drink Serena was offering her.
"The good news is that news is that my sisters know I am gone and are taking steps to get me back."
"But what if they haven't got anything strong enough to take you back to them?"
"Then the next step they'd take would be coming to me, instead of taking me to them."
Nalia tightened her lips and tapped her finger on them. She sat quietly thinking, until Serena tapped her arm with an anxious look on her face. Nalia gave a start and looked sheepishly at her.
"I was just thinking of how we could utilize the power of three. If your sisters arrive and manage to get to use before Nilim and his talismans get them, then they can free us all. With our powers liberated we would be able take down Nilim and stop his sick little game once and for all."
She stared wistfully into space and Phoebe gave her a resolute grin.
"We'll try our hardest Nalia, I promise we will."
She was cut off by a tall, shadowed shape, which appeared in the doorway. Nalia's hand went to her throat and tears filled her eyes.
"Tate…"
He walked into the room and she got up and ran to him, capturing him in a fierce embrace. He held her and kissed the top of her head, as she cried into his chest. She was muttering the same words over and over.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Tate. I'm sorry…I'm.."
He grasped her face in one hand and angled it towards his own. The he kissed her. At first she struggled and tried to break away, but then she gave in and kissed him back. Tate broke the kiss and led her out of the room. Nalia shot Serena and Phoebe an unsure look at she went out the door. They both giggled and Phoebe finished her drink.
* * *
Piper and Paige appeared in behind a dais, with a throne and some other seats on. Piper looked around, her hands held at the ready. The only person in the room was a woman in chains. They cautiously approached her. She heard their footsteps and recoiled against the wall. Her chains rattled and clanked on the rough stone floor.
"Hey there, calm down its ok. We're not going to hurt you."
She heard a gentle feminine voice and turned to face it. Piper saw the blood stains round her mouth, and her hand went to her mouth in shock. Paige back away slightly, but she couldn't help but feel sorry for her. The chained woman whimpered and held her hands out imploringly as she spoke.
"Help…me. Please, I can't go on like this. He makes me…he make me…"
She curled into a ball and shook slightly. Piper bent down to comfort her, but the woman shuddered at her touch and shifted away.
"Paige, get those chains off her. We've got to help the poor thing."
"Chains!"
The chains were covered in light and Paige sent them behind the throne, where she hoped no one would find them. She almost laughed to herself. Not that anyone would care about chains when they discovered the woman was gone.
"Look, we freed you. Its ok now. Who made you do those things? What things did he make you do?"
The woman straightened up and told them of Nilim and the Arena. Listening in a shocked silence, they heard of what went on here and of the most recent vision the woman had.
"So you are saying that Phoebe is now one of these.. these…slaves? And she is being forced to fight in this Arena thing?"
The woman told them all she knew and then broke down crying again.
"What's the matter now? Surely you can escape now?"
"No, the talismans. They block powers and magic. With this on me, I am a prisoner for ever."
"Isn't there anyway for you to get them off? No wait, dumb question. If there was you would have already done it."
Paige blushed and looked embarrassed. Piper laughed, and then turned to the woman.
"If you don't mind I'll try and blow up the talisman. It should come right off."
"She hardly ever misses anymore, so your chances are good."
"Paige! You'll scare her."
Piper flicked her hands at the Talisman. It remained intact, and began to glow.
"Damn talisman. I'll try again."
She tried to blow up the talisman. But it just glowed again. Piper almost yelled in frustration.
"Paige we're gonna have to write a spell or something."
"What? Just on the spot without Phoebe here?"
"I know that she is the one who usually writes spells, but we have to do something to help her."
She gestured to the woman, who was once again on the floor, rocking herself.
"Ok, well here goes I guess."
"Free this woman,
Let her be,
With this spell,
Let powers flow free."
The pendant shone with a blinding light and then shattered. The woman rose to her feet, vitality flooding back to her ashen face.
"Thank you so much, I..I can't tell you what it feels like to have my power back. And my freedom! If you don't mind I have to go and tell others about this place. With any luck I'll prevent anyone else coming back to this accursed place. Thank you again."
"Think nothing of it."
"All in a days work for the Charmed Ones."
She smiled and disappeared, in a flash of blue light. Piper took Paige's arm and they looked at the dark passage at the end of the room.
"And now for Phoebe."