FIVE
"What kind of game is this?" Phoebe demanded.
"Oh, it's no game, I assure you," said the warlock. "It's quite real. And there's nothing you can do about it. The movie is playing at your house. And you'll continue to play your role whether you choose to or not."
"What do you think this is going to get you?" Phoebe asked.
"Exactly what I want," said the warlock. "You see, your sisters and your friends have no memory of who they really are. They will obediently play the roles they've been cast in to the very end. You'll get no help from them."
"But I remember," said Phoebe.
"Unfortunately," said the warlock. "Your ability to see the future protected you. Not that it's going to do you any good. The movie will progress normally and you'll move from scene to scene whether you want to or not."
"And that's going to destroy us?" Phoebe questioned. "Have you ever seen this movie? In the end, Dorothy gets home and they all live happily ever after. No one gets destroyed."
"That's not quite true," said the warlock. "You're forgetting the Wicked Witch of the West. Remember what happened to her at the end."
"She melts," gasped Phoebe remembering the scene where Dorothy throws a bucket of water on the witch.
"Exactly," said the warlock. "Since your sister is cast as the witch, guess who'll be destroyed? And the power of three will be broken forever."
"I won't do it," said Phoebe. "I don't care what role you have me in. If you think I'm going to destroy my own sister, you have another thing coming."
"As I said," said the warlock, "the movie is going to progress normally no matter what you do. Look at you right now. You refuse to follow the script. But you're still following the yellow brick road on your way to see the Wizard."
"I'm still not going to do it," said Phoebe. "I don't care what you say."
"It really makes no difference," said the warlock. "When the movie finishes, it will shut off. What do you think is going to happen to anyone still in it when that happens?"
Phoebe just looked at the warlock.
"All of this only exists because the movie is playing," said the warlock. "When the movie ends, this all ceases to exist. Returned to the realm of fantasy. Living creatures can't exist there. You and your friends will simply cease to exist once the movie ends."
"Aren't you forgetting something?" asked Phoebe. "You're in here with us. You'll cease to exist as well."
"Oh I'll be out of the film long before that happens," said the warlock. "You don't think I'd risk getting trapped in here, do you? I already have my way out."
"We'll stop you," said Phoebe. "I'll find a way to stop you."
"Unlikely," said the warlock. "You're going to be much to busy trying to save your sisters and friends. A futile attempt, but one you must make. And when the tape ends, I'll be there to draw your power out at that precise moment. The Charmed Ones die, I get all of their powers, and all's right with the underworld."
Phoebe just glared at the warlock.
"Well," said the warlock. "You must be on your way. I believe you meet the scarecrow first. Give him my regards. I'll see you near the end of the movie."
The warlock simply vanished. Phoebe looked at the stump where he had sat he has given her some info. He had let her know there was a way out. All she had to do is figure out what that way was.
He had also implied that things could be changed. He said it made no difference if she killed the wicked witch or not. That had the implication that she just might be able to change it. And if she could change that she might be able to change other things.
But at the moment, without some clue about how to get them out, there was little that Phoebe could do. She turned and started down the yellow brick road.
"What kind of game is this?" Phoebe demanded.
"Oh, it's no game, I assure you," said the warlock. "It's quite real. And there's nothing you can do about it. The movie is playing at your house. And you'll continue to play your role whether you choose to or not."
"What do you think this is going to get you?" Phoebe asked.
"Exactly what I want," said the warlock. "You see, your sisters and your friends have no memory of who they really are. They will obediently play the roles they've been cast in to the very end. You'll get no help from them."
"But I remember," said Phoebe.
"Unfortunately," said the warlock. "Your ability to see the future protected you. Not that it's going to do you any good. The movie will progress normally and you'll move from scene to scene whether you want to or not."
"And that's going to destroy us?" Phoebe questioned. "Have you ever seen this movie? In the end, Dorothy gets home and they all live happily ever after. No one gets destroyed."
"That's not quite true," said the warlock. "You're forgetting the Wicked Witch of the West. Remember what happened to her at the end."
"She melts," gasped Phoebe remembering the scene where Dorothy throws a bucket of water on the witch.
"Exactly," said the warlock. "Since your sister is cast as the witch, guess who'll be destroyed? And the power of three will be broken forever."
"I won't do it," said Phoebe. "I don't care what role you have me in. If you think I'm going to destroy my own sister, you have another thing coming."
"As I said," said the warlock, "the movie is going to progress normally no matter what you do. Look at you right now. You refuse to follow the script. But you're still following the yellow brick road on your way to see the Wizard."
"I'm still not going to do it," said Phoebe. "I don't care what you say."
"It really makes no difference," said the warlock. "When the movie finishes, it will shut off. What do you think is going to happen to anyone still in it when that happens?"
Phoebe just looked at the warlock.
"All of this only exists because the movie is playing," said the warlock. "When the movie ends, this all ceases to exist. Returned to the realm of fantasy. Living creatures can't exist there. You and your friends will simply cease to exist once the movie ends."
"Aren't you forgetting something?" asked Phoebe. "You're in here with us. You'll cease to exist as well."
"Oh I'll be out of the film long before that happens," said the warlock. "You don't think I'd risk getting trapped in here, do you? I already have my way out."
"We'll stop you," said Phoebe. "I'll find a way to stop you."
"Unlikely," said the warlock. "You're going to be much to busy trying to save your sisters and friends. A futile attempt, but one you must make. And when the tape ends, I'll be there to draw your power out at that precise moment. The Charmed Ones die, I get all of their powers, and all's right with the underworld."
Phoebe just glared at the warlock.
"Well," said the warlock. "You must be on your way. I believe you meet the scarecrow first. Give him my regards. I'll see you near the end of the movie."
The warlock simply vanished. Phoebe looked at the stump where he had sat he has given her some info. He had let her know there was a way out. All she had to do is figure out what that way was.
He had also implied that things could be changed. He said it made no difference if she killed the wicked witch or not. That had the implication that she just might be able to change it. And if she could change that she might be able to change other things.
But at the moment, without some clue about how to get them out, there was little that Phoebe could do. She turned and started down the yellow brick road.