SIX
Leo, Kiethran, and Michael were gone much longer than they had been the last time. Piper couldn't help but think this was a bad sign. If the news had been good, they would have returned sooner. When they did return, Leo and Michael seemed to be having an argument.
"I don't give a damn." Leo was saying angrily as they orbed in, "this isn't going to happen. They may be the Elders, but they don't have the right to . . ."
"Leo, you know there's no choice," said Michael. "I don't agree with them either, but they've made their decision. You have to go along with it. You don't have a choice."
"The hell I do," shouted Leo. "I won't allow it."
"What's going on?" asked Piper.
She had never seen Leo so angry. Not even when she had RSVP'd them for his Guadalcanal reunion without asking him first. Leo got angry, like anyone else. But this level of anger was very unusual for him.
"We have some answers," said Kiethran. "Needless to say, Leo is not very happy with what we have to tell you. Sit down and we'll try to explain."
Leo was seething. Whatever the Elders had decided, it had made him livid. Piper wondered what was so bad that would make Leo this angry.
"Phoebe," began Kiethran, "from your premonition, I believe I know what we're dealing with. And the Elders agree."
"What is it?" asked Phoebe.
"It's called a sycophant," said Michael. "It's a primitive form of demon. Unlike other demons, they only one ability. The ability to appropriate a human body."
"You mean like possession?" asked Paige.
"More than a possession," said Kiethran. "In a possession, the human inside the body is repressed. That's why a possessed body can be exorcised. The repressed human personality can fight back, eventually forcing the possessing demon out."
"A sycophant is different," continued Michael. "When a sycophant inhabits a human body, the human personality is forced completely out of the body. In effect, it dies. The sycophant then lives in the body as long as the body is alive."
"Have you ever wondered where psychopaths come from?" asked Kiethran. "Or serial killers? They're actually these sycophants. That's why they can commit such horrible crimes without compassion. There is no compassion in a sycophant."
"Not much is known about them," said Michael. "We do know they can only inhabit a human body. Usually some time between the time of conception and the age of accountability; the age when a child understands the concepts of right and wrong. Once they inhabit the body, the original personality dies."
"Wait a minute," said Piper. "Are you telling me my unborn baby is one of these sycophants?"
"We don't know," said Kiethran. "It's impossible to tell if a person has been inhabited until the symptoms appear. Then, it's too late to do anything about it."
"What symptoms?" asked Phoebe.
"Lack of emotions," said Michael, "unusual cruelty to animals and other people, an almost erotic pleasure from inflicting pain and suffering, those kinds of things. All the things you hear about when you hear about serial killers and psychopaths."
"So, we just vanquish this sucker," said Paige. "Problem solved."
"You can't," said Michael. "Once it takes over a body, that becomes its body. The only thing you can do is destroy the body. Then it moves on to find another vulnerable body to inhabit."
"Piper," said Kiethran, "the sycophant has no powers of its' own. But it does have access to any powers its' host body has. According to Phoebes' premonitions, you baby is going to be inhabited by a sycophant. And it will have access to all the baby's' powers."
"If Phoebes' last premonition is true," said Michael, "she'll grow up to become the Source. When that happens, she'll have access to the Hollow. It will only be a matter of time before she decides to take that power as well. If she releases the Hollow, no power will be able to stop her. She'll be invincible."
"No," said Piper, tears streaming down her face, "this can't be happening. I'm a good witch and Leo is a White Lighter. How could this sycophant inhabit her?"
"Because she's still human," said Kiethran. "In spirit form, the sycophant can't hurt anyone. But it's also not affected by magic. No spell can prevent it from inhabiting a human body."
"Up until now," said Michael, "they haven't been much of a magical threat since most humans don't have any powers. But Piper, in the body of your daughter, it could be a greater threat than the Source ever was. Especially if it gets to the Hollow."
"No," said Piper, still crying, "this is a joke, right? It's not funny. You have a sick sense of humor. You're telling me my daughter is going to become the greatest evil in history and there's nothing I can do about it?"
"Actually," said Michael, looking at Kiethran, "there is one thing we can do about it. The Elders have discussed it and they decided it is the only way to protect everyone."
"What?" asked Piper hopefully. "Anything. I'll do anything to protect my baby. Just tell me what I have to do."
"They aren't thinking of protecting the baby," said Leo in outrage. They're talking about protecting everyone else."
"No," gasped Piper, suddenly realizing what Michael was talking about.
"Piper," said Michael reluctantly, "the Council feels there is only one way to protect humanity and everyone else. They've decided that, in order to prevent the sycophant from gaining access to your unborn child's powers, your pregnancy is to be terminated immediately."
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige stared at Michael in absolute disbelief.
Leo, Kiethran, and Michael were gone much longer than they had been the last time. Piper couldn't help but think this was a bad sign. If the news had been good, they would have returned sooner. When they did return, Leo and Michael seemed to be having an argument.
"I don't give a damn." Leo was saying angrily as they orbed in, "this isn't going to happen. They may be the Elders, but they don't have the right to . . ."
"Leo, you know there's no choice," said Michael. "I don't agree with them either, but they've made their decision. You have to go along with it. You don't have a choice."
"The hell I do," shouted Leo. "I won't allow it."
"What's going on?" asked Piper.
She had never seen Leo so angry. Not even when she had RSVP'd them for his Guadalcanal reunion without asking him first. Leo got angry, like anyone else. But this level of anger was very unusual for him.
"We have some answers," said Kiethran. "Needless to say, Leo is not very happy with what we have to tell you. Sit down and we'll try to explain."
Leo was seething. Whatever the Elders had decided, it had made him livid. Piper wondered what was so bad that would make Leo this angry.
"Phoebe," began Kiethran, "from your premonition, I believe I know what we're dealing with. And the Elders agree."
"What is it?" asked Phoebe.
"It's called a sycophant," said Michael. "It's a primitive form of demon. Unlike other demons, they only one ability. The ability to appropriate a human body."
"You mean like possession?" asked Paige.
"More than a possession," said Kiethran. "In a possession, the human inside the body is repressed. That's why a possessed body can be exorcised. The repressed human personality can fight back, eventually forcing the possessing demon out."
"A sycophant is different," continued Michael. "When a sycophant inhabits a human body, the human personality is forced completely out of the body. In effect, it dies. The sycophant then lives in the body as long as the body is alive."
"Have you ever wondered where psychopaths come from?" asked Kiethran. "Or serial killers? They're actually these sycophants. That's why they can commit such horrible crimes without compassion. There is no compassion in a sycophant."
"Not much is known about them," said Michael. "We do know they can only inhabit a human body. Usually some time between the time of conception and the age of accountability; the age when a child understands the concepts of right and wrong. Once they inhabit the body, the original personality dies."
"Wait a minute," said Piper. "Are you telling me my unborn baby is one of these sycophants?"
"We don't know," said Kiethran. "It's impossible to tell if a person has been inhabited until the symptoms appear. Then, it's too late to do anything about it."
"What symptoms?" asked Phoebe.
"Lack of emotions," said Michael, "unusual cruelty to animals and other people, an almost erotic pleasure from inflicting pain and suffering, those kinds of things. All the things you hear about when you hear about serial killers and psychopaths."
"So, we just vanquish this sucker," said Paige. "Problem solved."
"You can't," said Michael. "Once it takes over a body, that becomes its body. The only thing you can do is destroy the body. Then it moves on to find another vulnerable body to inhabit."
"Piper," said Kiethran, "the sycophant has no powers of its' own. But it does have access to any powers its' host body has. According to Phoebes' premonitions, you baby is going to be inhabited by a sycophant. And it will have access to all the baby's' powers."
"If Phoebes' last premonition is true," said Michael, "she'll grow up to become the Source. When that happens, she'll have access to the Hollow. It will only be a matter of time before she decides to take that power as well. If she releases the Hollow, no power will be able to stop her. She'll be invincible."
"No," said Piper, tears streaming down her face, "this can't be happening. I'm a good witch and Leo is a White Lighter. How could this sycophant inhabit her?"
"Because she's still human," said Kiethran. "In spirit form, the sycophant can't hurt anyone. But it's also not affected by magic. No spell can prevent it from inhabiting a human body."
"Up until now," said Michael, "they haven't been much of a magical threat since most humans don't have any powers. But Piper, in the body of your daughter, it could be a greater threat than the Source ever was. Especially if it gets to the Hollow."
"No," said Piper, still crying, "this is a joke, right? It's not funny. You have a sick sense of humor. You're telling me my daughter is going to become the greatest evil in history and there's nothing I can do about it?"
"Actually," said Michael, looking at Kiethran, "there is one thing we can do about it. The Elders have discussed it and they decided it is the only way to protect everyone."
"What?" asked Piper hopefully. "Anything. I'll do anything to protect my baby. Just tell me what I have to do."
"They aren't thinking of protecting the baby," said Leo in outrage. They're talking about protecting everyone else."
"No," gasped Piper, suddenly realizing what Michael was talking about.
"Piper," said Michael reluctantly, "the Council feels there is only one way to protect humanity and everyone else. They've decided that, in order to prevent the sycophant from gaining access to your unborn child's powers, your pregnancy is to be terminated immediately."
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige stared at Michael in absolute disbelief.