THREE
Cole came into the manor and found Piper, Phoebe, and Leo in the
living room. He casually walked into the living room and stood next
to Phoebe.
"Hey, guys," he said, a half smile on his face. "What is this,
a family meeting? Where's Paige?"
Piper and Phoebe looked at each other then at Leo. Cole could
see from the expressions on Phoebe's and Leo's faces that something
was very wrong. He could also tell from the look on Piper's face that
she was very near loosing control of her temper.
"She's dead," snapped Piper. "And thanks to Leo, she and Prue
may be lost forever."
She turned around and stormed out of the living room. Leo
didn't follow. He knew she needed some time to absorb what had
happened. She was a very levelheaded person. After she had a chance
to digest what had happened, she would be thinking more clearly.
"Is she kidding?" asked Cole. "How could Paige be dead? And
what does Prue have to do with any of this?"
"Cole, sweetie," said Phoebe, "you'd better sit down. There's
been some . . . developments that you need to know about."
Phoebe and Leo told Cole about Prue and Santerra. And how they
had attempted to save Prue when Santerra had somehow injured Prue.
They also told him how Leo had suddenly orbed Piper and Phoebe away
from the ranch without even attempting to save either Prue or Paige.
"I know this Santerra," said Cole. "We met about fifty years
ago. She doesn't practice voodoo. It's a similar religion called
Santeria. It's similar to voodoo, but there are many differences.
It's like the difference between being a Methodist and a Baptist.
While they are basically the same, the differences distinguishes
between them."
"That's beside the point," said Phoebe. "Our problem here is to
find a way to combat this Santerra. She's apparently immune to our
power, so how do we fight her?"
"I don't understand," said Cole. "How could she be immune to
your power? Voodoo is actually an inferior form of magic compared to
the Craft. Mambo's don't even have powers and have to rely on spells
to do what they want."
"She has the philosopher's stone," said Leo deliberately.
"Oh my God," said Cole.
"Leo said that when he first saw it," said Piper from the
doorway to the living room. She had visibly calmed down. "What's so
important about this piece of rock?"
"Besides the Hollow," said Cole, "there is no more powerful
magic anywhere in the world. With it, someone can do practically
anything they want."
"I remember learning about the philosopher's stone in college,"
said Phoebe. "Supposedly, alchemists claimed it could change base
elements into higher forms. Like changing lead into gold. But it's
just a myth."
"Based on an actual stone," said Leo. "The philosopher's stone
has existed for thousands of years. No one knows exactly where it
came from. In the hands of an ordinary person, its power is very
limited. A normal alchemist could change lead into gold."
"But in the hands of someone else," interjected Cole, "it's very
powerful. In the hands of a mambo or say one of you, its power would
be almost limitless. Even Leo or I . . . I mean, Belthazor, would be
able to use more of its power. If Santerra has the philosopher's
stone, she could use it to protect herself."
"She claimed to have stolen Prue's and Paige's souls," said
Phoebe. "Could she have done that? With this stone?"
"Very possible," said Cole. "I know she was searching for any
magic she could get her hands on when I knew her. She was obsessed
with growing old. She was desperate to find any means to keep herself
young. She knew of some spells and incantations that helped her
accomplish that for very short times.
"But she was bent on finding something more permanent.
Something that wouldn't wear off. She may have found that in the
philosopher's stone. In her hands, she can steal the souls of people.
Living or dead. The souls would be stored in the stone and she would
drain them to keep herself young."
"But she has dozens of zombies," said Phoebe. "If a soul can
keep her young, why would she steal so many?"
"Her spells and incantations would work for a few days," said
Cole, "maybe a couple of weeks. A soul would keep her from aging for
months. With so many souls trapped in the stone, she could siphon
them off a little from each every day. They would last longer that
way.
"Think of it this way. Think of her as a sort of vampire. She
can live off the blood of one body for several weeks, maybe even a
couple of months. Eventually, the body wouldn't be able to recoup the
loss. But with so many bodies, a little from each one would be hardly
noticeable. They would be able to sustain her almost indefinitely."
"And she gains power from those souls," said Piper.
"Yes," said Cole. "I'd forgotten about that part. A normal
soul would increase her power. But if she has Prue's and Paige's
souls, then she has access to their powers. As Charmed Ones. Which
means . . .."
"Which means," said Phoebe, "that's why she was immune to our
power."
"And the stone will protect her from your spells and potions,"
said Leo. "Now you see why I got you out of there when I did. If she
had taken your souls, she would have had the Power of Three at her
disposal. Nothing would be able to stop her."
"Piper, are you okay?" asked Cole. "Leo and Phoebe told me what
happened. I know I was never Prue's favorite person, but I wouldn't
have wished this on her."
"I'm okay," said Piper. "This whole incident has me on edge. I
was finally coming to terms with Prue's . . . death, and then this
happens."
"I know," said Cole. "We need a plan. Santerra has to be
stopped. Not just for Prue and Paige, but also for the others she's
taken. And the ones she will take."
"What do you mean?" asked Leo.
"Other than eternal youth," said Cole, "Santerra was obsessed
with one other thing. World domination. The more souls she takes,
the stronger she'll get. Eventually, she'll begin to take the souls
of witches, warlocks, anyone with power. Then her power will increase
exponentially. There won't be any way to stop her."
"We don't have a plan," said Phoebe. "Cole, you're human now.
Now powers, remember. If we're in danger from her, you're in twice as
much danger. I just got you. I'm not going to risk loosing you."
"I can't just stand by and do nothing," said Cole. "Like it or
not, I'm a part of this family."
"Listen, Cole," began Phoebe.
"We don't have time for this," said Piper. "Right now we have
to save Paige and Prue. And those others. We have to find a way to
stop Santerra. Now, since she is immune to our powers, spells, and
potions, does anyone have any ideas?"
"Leo orbs me in and I'll shoot her," said Cole. "That's
something she wouldn't be expecting. And since she knows I was
Belthazor, she won't be expecting it from me. All I need is a couple
of hours to get a gun."
"Absolutely now," said Phoebe. "This woman is certifiable. I
doubt she trusts anyone, least of all a demon. Or half demon. More
than likely, she'd just steal your soul for the power it would give
her."
"Phoebe is right," said Piper. "She tried to steal Phoebe's and
my souls. And without your powers, you'd be completely vulnerable to
her. There's no guarantee that even a gun will hurt her. No, we have
to come up with something else."
"Cole," said Leo, "how well do you know her?"
"I did a couple of jobs for her," said Cole, glancing nervously
at Phoebe. "Like I said, it was fifty years ago. Why do you ask?"
"She didn't seem very familiar with witches," said Leo. "She
mentioned something about hearing about the Charmed Ones. But she
didn't seem very familiar with them."
"No reason she would," said Cole. "Mambo's and witches don't
usually mix. As I said, theirs is a different kind of magic."
"Does she know about White Lighters?" asked Leo.
"A little," said Cole. "I once mentioned my fight with Michael
to her. She wanted to know whom I was talking about. I told her a
little something White Lighters."
"How much did you tell her?" asked Leo.
"Leo, honey," said Piper, "why all the questions?"
"In a minute," said Leo. "Cole, I need to know exactly what you
told her about White Lighters."
"Well," said Cole, "I told her what I know. That they're a type
of angel that watches over and helps witches. That they were very
good people in life who earned the right to be a White Lighter after
they died. And how they were always a pain in the ass for demons.
Leo, what's this all about?"
"I think I might have an idea," said Leo. "It's a long shot and
it's dangerous. But if it works, maybe we won't have to stop
Santerra. We might be able to get her to stop herself."
"Leo," said Phoebe, "I don't know what you have in mind, but I
already don't like it. When a guide starts coming up with solutions
to our problems, I get really, really nervous."
"Hear me out," said Leo. "Once you hear my plan, then you can
start bad mouthing it. But don't shoot it down without hearing what
it is."
"Okay, that's fair," said Piper. "It doesn't seem anyone else
has any ideas, anyway. What do we have to loose?"
Cole came into the manor and found Piper, Phoebe, and Leo in the
living room. He casually walked into the living room and stood next
to Phoebe.
"Hey, guys," he said, a half smile on his face. "What is this,
a family meeting? Where's Paige?"
Piper and Phoebe looked at each other then at Leo. Cole could
see from the expressions on Phoebe's and Leo's faces that something
was very wrong. He could also tell from the look on Piper's face that
she was very near loosing control of her temper.
"She's dead," snapped Piper. "And thanks to Leo, she and Prue
may be lost forever."
She turned around and stormed out of the living room. Leo
didn't follow. He knew she needed some time to absorb what had
happened. She was a very levelheaded person. After she had a chance
to digest what had happened, she would be thinking more clearly.
"Is she kidding?" asked Cole. "How could Paige be dead? And
what does Prue have to do with any of this?"
"Cole, sweetie," said Phoebe, "you'd better sit down. There's
been some . . . developments that you need to know about."
Phoebe and Leo told Cole about Prue and Santerra. And how they
had attempted to save Prue when Santerra had somehow injured Prue.
They also told him how Leo had suddenly orbed Piper and Phoebe away
from the ranch without even attempting to save either Prue or Paige.
"I know this Santerra," said Cole. "We met about fifty years
ago. She doesn't practice voodoo. It's a similar religion called
Santeria. It's similar to voodoo, but there are many differences.
It's like the difference between being a Methodist and a Baptist.
While they are basically the same, the differences distinguishes
between them."
"That's beside the point," said Phoebe. "Our problem here is to
find a way to combat this Santerra. She's apparently immune to our
power, so how do we fight her?"
"I don't understand," said Cole. "How could she be immune to
your power? Voodoo is actually an inferior form of magic compared to
the Craft. Mambo's don't even have powers and have to rely on spells
to do what they want."
"She has the philosopher's stone," said Leo deliberately.
"Oh my God," said Cole.
"Leo said that when he first saw it," said Piper from the
doorway to the living room. She had visibly calmed down. "What's so
important about this piece of rock?"
"Besides the Hollow," said Cole, "there is no more powerful
magic anywhere in the world. With it, someone can do practically
anything they want."
"I remember learning about the philosopher's stone in college,"
said Phoebe. "Supposedly, alchemists claimed it could change base
elements into higher forms. Like changing lead into gold. But it's
just a myth."
"Based on an actual stone," said Leo. "The philosopher's stone
has existed for thousands of years. No one knows exactly where it
came from. In the hands of an ordinary person, its power is very
limited. A normal alchemist could change lead into gold."
"But in the hands of someone else," interjected Cole, "it's very
powerful. In the hands of a mambo or say one of you, its power would
be almost limitless. Even Leo or I . . . I mean, Belthazor, would be
able to use more of its power. If Santerra has the philosopher's
stone, she could use it to protect herself."
"She claimed to have stolen Prue's and Paige's souls," said
Phoebe. "Could she have done that? With this stone?"
"Very possible," said Cole. "I know she was searching for any
magic she could get her hands on when I knew her. She was obsessed
with growing old. She was desperate to find any means to keep herself
young. She knew of some spells and incantations that helped her
accomplish that for very short times.
"But she was bent on finding something more permanent.
Something that wouldn't wear off. She may have found that in the
philosopher's stone. In her hands, she can steal the souls of people.
Living or dead. The souls would be stored in the stone and she would
drain them to keep herself young."
"But she has dozens of zombies," said Phoebe. "If a soul can
keep her young, why would she steal so many?"
"Her spells and incantations would work for a few days," said
Cole, "maybe a couple of weeks. A soul would keep her from aging for
months. With so many souls trapped in the stone, she could siphon
them off a little from each every day. They would last longer that
way.
"Think of it this way. Think of her as a sort of vampire. She
can live off the blood of one body for several weeks, maybe even a
couple of months. Eventually, the body wouldn't be able to recoup the
loss. But with so many bodies, a little from each one would be hardly
noticeable. They would be able to sustain her almost indefinitely."
"And she gains power from those souls," said Piper.
"Yes," said Cole. "I'd forgotten about that part. A normal
soul would increase her power. But if she has Prue's and Paige's
souls, then she has access to their powers. As Charmed Ones. Which
means . . .."
"Which means," said Phoebe, "that's why she was immune to our
power."
"And the stone will protect her from your spells and potions,"
said Leo. "Now you see why I got you out of there when I did. If she
had taken your souls, she would have had the Power of Three at her
disposal. Nothing would be able to stop her."
"Piper, are you okay?" asked Cole. "Leo and Phoebe told me what
happened. I know I was never Prue's favorite person, but I wouldn't
have wished this on her."
"I'm okay," said Piper. "This whole incident has me on edge. I
was finally coming to terms with Prue's . . . death, and then this
happens."
"I know," said Cole. "We need a plan. Santerra has to be
stopped. Not just for Prue and Paige, but also for the others she's
taken. And the ones she will take."
"What do you mean?" asked Leo.
"Other than eternal youth," said Cole, "Santerra was obsessed
with one other thing. World domination. The more souls she takes,
the stronger she'll get. Eventually, she'll begin to take the souls
of witches, warlocks, anyone with power. Then her power will increase
exponentially. There won't be any way to stop her."
"We don't have a plan," said Phoebe. "Cole, you're human now.
Now powers, remember. If we're in danger from her, you're in twice as
much danger. I just got you. I'm not going to risk loosing you."
"I can't just stand by and do nothing," said Cole. "Like it or
not, I'm a part of this family."
"Listen, Cole," began Phoebe.
"We don't have time for this," said Piper. "Right now we have
to save Paige and Prue. And those others. We have to find a way to
stop Santerra. Now, since she is immune to our powers, spells, and
potions, does anyone have any ideas?"
"Leo orbs me in and I'll shoot her," said Cole. "That's
something she wouldn't be expecting. And since she knows I was
Belthazor, she won't be expecting it from me. All I need is a couple
of hours to get a gun."
"Absolutely now," said Phoebe. "This woman is certifiable. I
doubt she trusts anyone, least of all a demon. Or half demon. More
than likely, she'd just steal your soul for the power it would give
her."
"Phoebe is right," said Piper. "She tried to steal Phoebe's and
my souls. And without your powers, you'd be completely vulnerable to
her. There's no guarantee that even a gun will hurt her. No, we have
to come up with something else."
"Cole," said Leo, "how well do you know her?"
"I did a couple of jobs for her," said Cole, glancing nervously
at Phoebe. "Like I said, it was fifty years ago. Why do you ask?"
"She didn't seem very familiar with witches," said Leo. "She
mentioned something about hearing about the Charmed Ones. But she
didn't seem very familiar with them."
"No reason she would," said Cole. "Mambo's and witches don't
usually mix. As I said, theirs is a different kind of magic."
"Does she know about White Lighters?" asked Leo.
"A little," said Cole. "I once mentioned my fight with Michael
to her. She wanted to know whom I was talking about. I told her a
little something White Lighters."
"How much did you tell her?" asked Leo.
"Leo, honey," said Piper, "why all the questions?"
"In a minute," said Leo. "Cole, I need to know exactly what you
told her about White Lighters."
"Well," said Cole, "I told her what I know. That they're a type
of angel that watches over and helps witches. That they were very
good people in life who earned the right to be a White Lighter after
they died. And how they were always a pain in the ass for demons.
Leo, what's this all about?"
"I think I might have an idea," said Leo. "It's a long shot and
it's dangerous. But if it works, maybe we won't have to stop
Santerra. We might be able to get her to stop herself."
"Leo," said Phoebe, "I don't know what you have in mind, but I
already don't like it. When a guide starts coming up with solutions
to our problems, I get really, really nervous."
"Hear me out," said Leo. "Once you hear my plan, then you can
start bad mouthing it. But don't shoot it down without hearing what
it is."
"Okay, that's fair," said Piper. "It doesn't seem anyone else
has any ideas, anyway. What do we have to loose?"