FOUR
"You're out of your mind," said Piper in total disbelief.
"That's the craziest idea I've ever heard. Do you have any idea how
dangerous that would be?"
"But it just might work," said Cole. "I have to side with Leo
on this one. In fact, it's just crazy enough to work."
"Yeah," said Phoebe, "and get Leo sucked dry just like Paige.
Where would that leave us then? Piper is right. I've done some crazy
things in my life, but nothing so stupid as that."
"Okay, fine," said Leo. "Do either of you have any ideas? Any
ideas at all? Using the philosopher's stone, he's already been able
to capture Prue's soul, even though she was already dead. Not to
mention that she's been able to take the souls of Paige and all the
others on that ranch. And Cole has already told us she'll continue to
do it until she's accomplished her goals. So, do either of you have
an idea how to stop her?"
Piper and Phoebe looked at each other. Each was obviously
hoping the other had an idea, any idea, they could propose in place of
Leo's. It was also just as obvious that neither had any ideas to
counter Leo's idea.
Suddenly, Cole leaned walked over and whispered in Leo's ear.
Leo just nodded for several moments until Cole finished. When Cole
was done, Leo turned to the two sisters.
"Cole and I have to leave for a while," he said. "We shouldn't
be gone long. Wait here until we get back."
"Oh no you don't," said Piper standing up. "You're not going
out there without us. If anything goes wrong, you'll need us."
"We aren't going out there," said Cole. "Not yet, anyway. We
have an errand to run first. We won't go to the ranch without you."
"You promise?" Piper asked Leo.
"You have my word," said Leo, kissing her on the cheek. "We'll
run our errand and come right back here. Just wait here until we get
back. Promise me YOU won't go out there without us."
"We promise," said Phoebe.
Leo then took Cole by the elbow and orbed both of them out of
the living room. Piper and Phoebe didn't know what to do. They had
no idea what this mysterious errand was. Or what it had to do with
going after Santerra. All they could do was wait until they got back
from their errand.
It was several hours before Leo and Cole orbed back into the
manor. Piper and Phoebe were extremely restless by the time they
returned. They were more than ready to head out to the ranch to save
Prue and Paige.
"Good, you're back," said Piper the moment Leo and Cole orbed
in. "Is your errand finished?"
"Yes," said Cole, pulling four small bags out of his pocket. He
handed one bag each to Piper and Phoebe. "Keep these on you when we
go out there no matter what happens. They're the only protection
we'll have against Santerra's magic."
"What is it?" asked Phoebe.
"From what I understand," said Leo, taking one of the bags,
"it's a mixture of animal bones, rocks, feathers, and an assortment of
other things. To be honest, I'm not really sure exactly what's in
them."
"Animal bones and feathers?" questioned Piper. "Just what are
they supposed to do?"
"They're protection charms," said Cole. "They're used by voodoo
priests and priestesses to protect themselves and others from voodoo
magic. Considering how powerful Santerra is right now, I'm not sure
how long that protection will last but it should last long enough for
us to do what we have to do."
"Wait a minute," said Phoebe. "You said the philosopher's stone
increases her power dramatically. How can a simple charm protect us
against that power?"
"The philosopher's stone amplifies the possessors power," said
Leo. "While she may be incredibly more powerful than normal, it's
still voodoo magic. Cole assures me that these charms will protect
us, initially anyway."
"This little bag of bones, feathers, and who knows what else is
going to protect us against magic?" asked Piper, sarcasm obvious in
her voice.
"Just as a protection spell would protect you against a
warlock's power," said Cole. "These were made by a particularly
voodoo priest I know in Africa. He owed me a favor. These protection
charms are his way of repaying that favor."
"You went to Africa?" Piper asked Leo.
"Yes," said Leo. "Don't worry, we weren't in any danger. That
priest was under the impression that Cole was still Belthazor. He
seemed to be pretty afraid of him. When we orbed out, he actually
seemed relieved we had left."
"Well," said Phoebe, "looks like we have everything we need. Is
there any reason for us to wait?"
"None that I can think of," said Piper immediately. "If you ask
me, and you just did, this has already taken way too long already.
Let's just get out there and get this over with."
"I guess she's right," said Leo. "There's no reason for us not
to do this right now."
"Leo," said Phoebe, "if anything goes wrong, you won't be able
to orb us out. We could all be in danger."
"You're already in danger," interjected Cole. "Now that
Santerra knows who and what you are, she's going to be coming after
you. Just as soon as she can find you. It will take her a little
time find out where you live, but trust me. When she learns about
this manor, she won't hesitate to come her to get the power she can
get from you."
"Phoebe," said Leo, "this is the only chance we have. The
longer we wait, the less chance we have that this will work. If we're
going to do it, we have to do it now. We have to do it for Paige and
for Prue. And for everyone else."
"I know," said Phoebe. "I just want to make sure that you
really want to do this. We're all going to be in danger, but you're
going to be in the most danger. That's not in your purview as our
White Lighter. You're not supposed to put yourself in harm's way
because of us."
"I care about Paige," said Leo. "Not just as my charge, but as
my sister-in-law as well. Even if I weren't a White Lighter, I'd do
whatever I could to help. Now, let's get going. I'm not any crazier
about this plan than you are, but it's all we have. I just hope it's
going to be enough."
"Just be careful," said Piper, kissing Leo. "At the first sign
of danger, you get out of there. And take Cole with you when you do.
Phoebe and I can take care of ourselves. Don't take any unnecessary
chances."
"Don't worry," said Leo. "I don't plan to take any chances I
don't have to. I expect you to do the same."
Piper just smiled. Leo wasn't sure if she would do as he asked,
but had done all that he could do. All he could do was hope and pray
she would not do anything foolish.
To be continued . . .
Be sure not to miss the exciting conclusion in Part 3:
Resolutions. With only a protection charm to stand between themselves
and Santerra, Leo, Cole, and the sisters go to the ranch to confront
the voodoo priestess and save Paige and Prue. Will Leo's plan work?
Or will this evil mambo do what no demon has ever been able to do:
destroy the Charmed Ones?
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction.
"You're out of your mind," said Piper in total disbelief.
"That's the craziest idea I've ever heard. Do you have any idea how
dangerous that would be?"
"But it just might work," said Cole. "I have to side with Leo
on this one. In fact, it's just crazy enough to work."
"Yeah," said Phoebe, "and get Leo sucked dry just like Paige.
Where would that leave us then? Piper is right. I've done some crazy
things in my life, but nothing so stupid as that."
"Okay, fine," said Leo. "Do either of you have any ideas? Any
ideas at all? Using the philosopher's stone, he's already been able
to capture Prue's soul, even though she was already dead. Not to
mention that she's been able to take the souls of Paige and all the
others on that ranch. And Cole has already told us she'll continue to
do it until she's accomplished her goals. So, do either of you have
an idea how to stop her?"
Piper and Phoebe looked at each other. Each was obviously
hoping the other had an idea, any idea, they could propose in place of
Leo's. It was also just as obvious that neither had any ideas to
counter Leo's idea.
Suddenly, Cole leaned walked over and whispered in Leo's ear.
Leo just nodded for several moments until Cole finished. When Cole
was done, Leo turned to the two sisters.
"Cole and I have to leave for a while," he said. "We shouldn't
be gone long. Wait here until we get back."
"Oh no you don't," said Piper standing up. "You're not going
out there without us. If anything goes wrong, you'll need us."
"We aren't going out there," said Cole. "Not yet, anyway. We
have an errand to run first. We won't go to the ranch without you."
"You promise?" Piper asked Leo.
"You have my word," said Leo, kissing her on the cheek. "We'll
run our errand and come right back here. Just wait here until we get
back. Promise me YOU won't go out there without us."
"We promise," said Phoebe.
Leo then took Cole by the elbow and orbed both of them out of
the living room. Piper and Phoebe didn't know what to do. They had
no idea what this mysterious errand was. Or what it had to do with
going after Santerra. All they could do was wait until they got back
from their errand.
It was several hours before Leo and Cole orbed back into the
manor. Piper and Phoebe were extremely restless by the time they
returned. They were more than ready to head out to the ranch to save
Prue and Paige.
"Good, you're back," said Piper the moment Leo and Cole orbed
in. "Is your errand finished?"
"Yes," said Cole, pulling four small bags out of his pocket. He
handed one bag each to Piper and Phoebe. "Keep these on you when we
go out there no matter what happens. They're the only protection
we'll have against Santerra's magic."
"What is it?" asked Phoebe.
"From what I understand," said Leo, taking one of the bags,
"it's a mixture of animal bones, rocks, feathers, and an assortment of
other things. To be honest, I'm not really sure exactly what's in
them."
"Animal bones and feathers?" questioned Piper. "Just what are
they supposed to do?"
"They're protection charms," said Cole. "They're used by voodoo
priests and priestesses to protect themselves and others from voodoo
magic. Considering how powerful Santerra is right now, I'm not sure
how long that protection will last but it should last long enough for
us to do what we have to do."
"Wait a minute," said Phoebe. "You said the philosopher's stone
increases her power dramatically. How can a simple charm protect us
against that power?"
"The philosopher's stone amplifies the possessors power," said
Leo. "While she may be incredibly more powerful than normal, it's
still voodoo magic. Cole assures me that these charms will protect
us, initially anyway."
"This little bag of bones, feathers, and who knows what else is
going to protect us against magic?" asked Piper, sarcasm obvious in
her voice.
"Just as a protection spell would protect you against a
warlock's power," said Cole. "These were made by a particularly
voodoo priest I know in Africa. He owed me a favor. These protection
charms are his way of repaying that favor."
"You went to Africa?" Piper asked Leo.
"Yes," said Leo. "Don't worry, we weren't in any danger. That
priest was under the impression that Cole was still Belthazor. He
seemed to be pretty afraid of him. When we orbed out, he actually
seemed relieved we had left."
"Well," said Phoebe, "looks like we have everything we need. Is
there any reason for us to wait?"
"None that I can think of," said Piper immediately. "If you ask
me, and you just did, this has already taken way too long already.
Let's just get out there and get this over with."
"I guess she's right," said Leo. "There's no reason for us not
to do this right now."
"Leo," said Phoebe, "if anything goes wrong, you won't be able
to orb us out. We could all be in danger."
"You're already in danger," interjected Cole. "Now that
Santerra knows who and what you are, she's going to be coming after
you. Just as soon as she can find you. It will take her a little
time find out where you live, but trust me. When she learns about
this manor, she won't hesitate to come her to get the power she can
get from you."
"Phoebe," said Leo, "this is the only chance we have. The
longer we wait, the less chance we have that this will work. If we're
going to do it, we have to do it now. We have to do it for Paige and
for Prue. And for everyone else."
"I know," said Phoebe. "I just want to make sure that you
really want to do this. We're all going to be in danger, but you're
going to be in the most danger. That's not in your purview as our
White Lighter. You're not supposed to put yourself in harm's way
because of us."
"I care about Paige," said Leo. "Not just as my charge, but as
my sister-in-law as well. Even if I weren't a White Lighter, I'd do
whatever I could to help. Now, let's get going. I'm not any crazier
about this plan than you are, but it's all we have. I just hope it's
going to be enough."
"Just be careful," said Piper, kissing Leo. "At the first sign
of danger, you get out of there. And take Cole with you when you do.
Phoebe and I can take care of ourselves. Don't take any unnecessary
chances."
"Don't worry," said Leo. "I don't plan to take any chances I
don't have to. I expect you to do the same."
Piper just smiled. Leo wasn't sure if she would do as he asked,
but had done all that he could do. All he could do was hope and pray
she would not do anything foolish.
To be continued . . .
Be sure not to miss the exciting conclusion in Part 3:
Resolutions. With only a protection charm to stand between themselves
and Santerra, Leo, Cole, and the sisters go to the ranch to confront
the voodoo priestess and save Paige and Prue. Will Leo's plan work?
Or will this evil mambo do what no demon has ever been able to do:
destroy the Charmed Ones?
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction.