FIVE
Leo and Michael were gone longer than Piper thought they would be. Her apprehension about Phoebes' premonition was growing by the minute. When they did return, they weren't alone. Another man orbed in with them.
"Kiethran Tannish," said Piper the moment she recognized the man. "I didn't know druids could go to the White Lighter realm."
"They can't," said Leo. "We went and got him. He's here to help."
"Hi, Piper," said Kiethran, "hello Paige. And hello Phoebe. I understand you've been having some vision problems."
"Something like that," said Phoebe. "It's good to see you again."
"The Elders aren't sure what's going on," said Michael. "None of them can duplicate Phoebes' premonitions. To say they're concerned is an understatement."
"So where does that leave us?" asked Piper.
"With me," said Kiethran. "Leo and Michael have filled me in on what's been happening. They asked if I'd try to help and I, of course, said yes."
"Help how?" asked Paige.
"My telepathic ability might be useful here," said Kiethran. "The Elders want me to use it to tap into Phoebes' mind when she has another premonition. It might give a more objective view of the vision. I might be able to discover something that Phoebe has overlooked."
"Can you do that?" asked Phoebe. "Look in on one of my premonitions?"
"To be honest," said Kiethran, "I don't know. I've never done anything like this before. My telepathic ability lets me pick up on other peoples' surface thoughts. Since the premonition should be foremost in your mind, I should be able to."
"They can be confusing sometimes," warned Phoebe.
"No more so than mine, I'm sure," said Kiethran. "It's the reason the Elders chose me. Since I have a form of precognition, I'm used to them. They won't take me by surprise like they might someone else."
"The Elders think I'm going to have more premonitions?" asked Phoebe.
"They think it's possible," said Michael. "You've been having them for a reason. Why no one else can see what you're seeing is a mystery even to them. They figure this is the best way to find out."
"So, what do I have to do?" asked Phoebe.
"Just relax," said Kiethran. "I'll stay with you until you have another premonition. Then, I'll see if I can tap into it."
They spent the rest of the day talking and getting to know each other better. They reminisced about the Pentacle Demon that had nearly destroyed the girls. It was only through the intervention of Kiethran they had been able to defeat it. Although immune to witches' powers, the Pentacle Demon proved to be very vulnerable to Kiethrans' druid powers.
Kiethran also told them about what it was like to be a druid. Druids' didn't use spells or potions as witches did. But most druids had a number of powers at their disposal for fighting evil.
"You mean the druid who told you about your heritage actually shot you to death?" asked Piper in dismay.
"Three times, right in the chest," said Kiethran, smiling. "It was the only way for me to realize my full potential as a druid. In order for a druids' powers to fully manifest themselves, the druid has to die a violent death and be reborn, so to speak. Of course, I would have preferred if he had told me beforehand what he was going to do."
"Gee," said Phoebe, "all I had to do was read a spell out of the Book of Shadows. And I didn't know at the time that . . ."
Suddenly, Phoebe stiffened. Kiethran didn't hesitate. He had remained within arms' reach of Phoebe all day. He simply reached out and grabbed her hand, and then closed his eyes. When the premonition passed, he sat back in the sofa.
"Whoa," he said. "Those are more intense than mine."
"Did you see it?" asked Phoebe.
"I think so," said Kiethran. "A woman, maybe thirty years old. She was in some kind of cavern, surrounding by all sorts of demons. She had her hand on a black book and was being infused with some kind of power."
"The Grimoire," whispered Piper.
"The woman was wearing the necklace you told me about," said Kiethran. "The one with the triquetra on it."
"It sounds like you're describing the ascension ceremony for a new Source," said Michael.
"No," screamed Piper. "I don't believe it. My daughter could never be the Source. She could never be evil."
"Calm down, Piper," said Paige. "There could be some other explanation for this premonition. Don't get excited until we've had a chance to sort this out."
"Leo, Michael," said Kiethran, "let's give the girls a few minutes to calm themselves. Let's see if we can figure out the meaning of this."
The three men went into the kitchen, leaving the girls alone in the living room.
"We have a serious problem," said Kiethran. "Michael, that looked exactly like the ascension ceremony you described to me. And I'm pretty sure Phoebe recognized it, too. She's actually been to one, remember?"
"That is a problem," said Michael. "If Piper's daughter is going to become the Source, she could become unstoppable. What I don't understand is why none of the Elders can see the premonitions."
"Maybe they're just delusions," offered Leo.
"No, they're not," said Kiethran. "They're too distinct, too detailed. I think I know why the Elders can't see them. The level of evil I sensed from that woman is beyond almost anything I've ever felt. I think the evil is so strong that it's preventing your Elders from getting any true visions of the future where your daughter is concerned."
"An evil greater than the Source?" asked Leo.
"I never encountered the Source," said Kiethran, "so it would be hard for me to measure the two against each other. But I can tell you this. There are evils in the world greater than this Source. And this evil rivaled even those evils."
"How is that possible?" asked Leo. "Her mother is a witch and her father is a White Lighter. How could she be such a great evil with a heritage like that?"
"I think there's only one explanation," said Kiethran. "I think what we're dealing with here is a sycophant."
"You can't be serious," exclaimed Michael.
"A what?" asked Leo. "What's a sycophant?"
"I wish I was joking, Michael," said Kiethran. "Leo, we'll explain up there. We have to get to the Elders immediately. There's no time to loose."
"I'll tell Piper and the others we're going," said Leo. "You guys are scaring me, you know that."
"Good," said Kiethran. "You should be scared. You have no idea what we may be dealing with."
"Is it that bad?" asked Leo.
"Leo," said Michael, "if Kiethran is right, then we could all be in more danger than we've ever been in."
"More danger than the Source using the Hollow?" asked Leo. "I'd think that would be just about the most dangerous thing we could face."
"Leo, you don't understand," said Kiethran. "If this is what we think it is then the Source using the Hollow would be nothing compared to it."
Leo looked at Kiethran and Michael and saw how deadly serious they were. He had never seen Michael so serious before. Or so frightened. Michael had the powers of a White Lighter and an upper level demon. There were few things that scared him.
Leo told Piper and her sisters they were going to see the Elders and that they would return as soon as they could. Then, he, Michael, and Kiethran orbed out of the manor.
Leo and Michael were gone longer than Piper thought they would be. Her apprehension about Phoebes' premonition was growing by the minute. When they did return, they weren't alone. Another man orbed in with them.
"Kiethran Tannish," said Piper the moment she recognized the man. "I didn't know druids could go to the White Lighter realm."
"They can't," said Leo. "We went and got him. He's here to help."
"Hi, Piper," said Kiethran, "hello Paige. And hello Phoebe. I understand you've been having some vision problems."
"Something like that," said Phoebe. "It's good to see you again."
"The Elders aren't sure what's going on," said Michael. "None of them can duplicate Phoebes' premonitions. To say they're concerned is an understatement."
"So where does that leave us?" asked Piper.
"With me," said Kiethran. "Leo and Michael have filled me in on what's been happening. They asked if I'd try to help and I, of course, said yes."
"Help how?" asked Paige.
"My telepathic ability might be useful here," said Kiethran. "The Elders want me to use it to tap into Phoebes' mind when she has another premonition. It might give a more objective view of the vision. I might be able to discover something that Phoebe has overlooked."
"Can you do that?" asked Phoebe. "Look in on one of my premonitions?"
"To be honest," said Kiethran, "I don't know. I've never done anything like this before. My telepathic ability lets me pick up on other peoples' surface thoughts. Since the premonition should be foremost in your mind, I should be able to."
"They can be confusing sometimes," warned Phoebe.
"No more so than mine, I'm sure," said Kiethran. "It's the reason the Elders chose me. Since I have a form of precognition, I'm used to them. They won't take me by surprise like they might someone else."
"The Elders think I'm going to have more premonitions?" asked Phoebe.
"They think it's possible," said Michael. "You've been having them for a reason. Why no one else can see what you're seeing is a mystery even to them. They figure this is the best way to find out."
"So, what do I have to do?" asked Phoebe.
"Just relax," said Kiethran. "I'll stay with you until you have another premonition. Then, I'll see if I can tap into it."
They spent the rest of the day talking and getting to know each other better. They reminisced about the Pentacle Demon that had nearly destroyed the girls. It was only through the intervention of Kiethran they had been able to defeat it. Although immune to witches' powers, the Pentacle Demon proved to be very vulnerable to Kiethrans' druid powers.
Kiethran also told them about what it was like to be a druid. Druids' didn't use spells or potions as witches did. But most druids had a number of powers at their disposal for fighting evil.
"You mean the druid who told you about your heritage actually shot you to death?" asked Piper in dismay.
"Three times, right in the chest," said Kiethran, smiling. "It was the only way for me to realize my full potential as a druid. In order for a druids' powers to fully manifest themselves, the druid has to die a violent death and be reborn, so to speak. Of course, I would have preferred if he had told me beforehand what he was going to do."
"Gee," said Phoebe, "all I had to do was read a spell out of the Book of Shadows. And I didn't know at the time that . . ."
Suddenly, Phoebe stiffened. Kiethran didn't hesitate. He had remained within arms' reach of Phoebe all day. He simply reached out and grabbed her hand, and then closed his eyes. When the premonition passed, he sat back in the sofa.
"Whoa," he said. "Those are more intense than mine."
"Did you see it?" asked Phoebe.
"I think so," said Kiethran. "A woman, maybe thirty years old. She was in some kind of cavern, surrounding by all sorts of demons. She had her hand on a black book and was being infused with some kind of power."
"The Grimoire," whispered Piper.
"The woman was wearing the necklace you told me about," said Kiethran. "The one with the triquetra on it."
"It sounds like you're describing the ascension ceremony for a new Source," said Michael.
"No," screamed Piper. "I don't believe it. My daughter could never be the Source. She could never be evil."
"Calm down, Piper," said Paige. "There could be some other explanation for this premonition. Don't get excited until we've had a chance to sort this out."
"Leo, Michael," said Kiethran, "let's give the girls a few minutes to calm themselves. Let's see if we can figure out the meaning of this."
The three men went into the kitchen, leaving the girls alone in the living room.
"We have a serious problem," said Kiethran. "Michael, that looked exactly like the ascension ceremony you described to me. And I'm pretty sure Phoebe recognized it, too. She's actually been to one, remember?"
"That is a problem," said Michael. "If Piper's daughter is going to become the Source, she could become unstoppable. What I don't understand is why none of the Elders can see the premonitions."
"Maybe they're just delusions," offered Leo.
"No, they're not," said Kiethran. "They're too distinct, too detailed. I think I know why the Elders can't see them. The level of evil I sensed from that woman is beyond almost anything I've ever felt. I think the evil is so strong that it's preventing your Elders from getting any true visions of the future where your daughter is concerned."
"An evil greater than the Source?" asked Leo.
"I never encountered the Source," said Kiethran, "so it would be hard for me to measure the two against each other. But I can tell you this. There are evils in the world greater than this Source. And this evil rivaled even those evils."
"How is that possible?" asked Leo. "Her mother is a witch and her father is a White Lighter. How could she be such a great evil with a heritage like that?"
"I think there's only one explanation," said Kiethran. "I think what we're dealing with here is a sycophant."
"You can't be serious," exclaimed Michael.
"A what?" asked Leo. "What's a sycophant?"
"I wish I was joking, Michael," said Kiethran. "Leo, we'll explain up there. We have to get to the Elders immediately. There's no time to loose."
"I'll tell Piper and the others we're going," said Leo. "You guys are scaring me, you know that."
"Good," said Kiethran. "You should be scared. You have no idea what we may be dealing with."
"Is it that bad?" asked Leo.
"Leo," said Michael, "if Kiethran is right, then we could all be in more danger than we've ever been in."
"More danger than the Source using the Hollow?" asked Leo. "I'd think that would be just about the most dangerous thing we could face."
"Leo, you don't understand," said Kiethran. "If this is what we think it is then the Source using the Hollow would be nothing compared to it."
Leo looked at Kiethran and Michael and saw how deadly serious they were. He had never seen Michael so serious before. Or so frightened. Michael had the powers of a White Lighter and an upper level demon. There were few things that scared him.
Leo told Piper and her sisters they were going to see the Elders and that they would return as soon as they could. Then, he, Michael, and Kiethran orbed out of the manor.