FOURTEEN
"Oh thank goodness," cried Piper rushing to embrace Leo. "We thought we'd
lost you."
But instead of embracing him Piper passed right through him. As if he
wasn't there. Leo turned to look at her. That's when she noticed his
transparency. Tears came to her eyes.
"He's dead," she sobbed.
Leo looked like he was trying to speak but there was no sound coming out.
Cole walked up to him.
"Leo, can you hear me?" he asked.
Leo nodded his head yes.
"Are you dead?" Cole asked.
Leo shook his head no. He mouthed something but Cole couldn't make out
what it was.
"I don't think he's dead," Cole said to Piper. "I think something else is
going on here."
"Augury," cried Amodor. "Stand clear of it. It has come for Dolcine.
But is it a good augury or an evil one?"
"For crying out loud," said Piper, "that's no augury. That's Leo. He's a
White Lighter. Kind of like an angel."
"White Lighter?" Amodor repeated slowly. "Angel? Your words have no
meaning for me."
All the time Cole seemed to be thinking. Suddenly he turned toward Amodor
and the crowd.
"It's because this is an evil augury," he said loudly. "It has bewitched
her. Cast a spell so that she serves it. It is an evil omen. And it has come
for Dolcine."
"And all who are around here will suffer," said Amodor, taking a stockley
out of his robes. "We must kill the bearer of this evil omen."
"No," cried Cole. "That will only anger the augury. It will take its
vengeance on all of you. This augury is an aid to witches. It comes to make a new witch. It wants Dolcine."
"Cole, what are you doing?" asked Paige.
Cole turned his back to the crowd and faced Paige.
"Go with me on this," he whispered to her. "I have an idea. Just trust
me."
Cole turned back to the crowd.
"Ask her," he said pointing at Paige. "She can tell you the truth of this
augury. Tell them, Paige. Tell them how this man died in a great war that
killed many. How he was returned to guide and protect witches."
"It . . . . it's true," said Paige, not knowing exactly what Cole was up
to. "He fought in a great war. Many died, including him. Then he returned as
a White Lighter. A spirit that gives aid and guidance to witches. He has
bewitched my sister. Caused her to fall in love with him. Now he seeks to
bewitch Margaret, I mean Dolcine."
"This is a great evil," Cole called out. "All who have witnessed it this
day will die a horrible death. It will seek its vengeance on everyone and none
have the power to stop it."
"An aid to witches?" questioned Amodor. "This cannot be. All witches
were destroyed long ago. There are no more witches."
"This augury will restore them," said Cole. "It cannot harm me. You all
know I am demon. My power is great. It has no power over me or those who serve
me. But I cannot protect you, alas. It has come for Dolcine and when it has
taken her it will destroy all witnesses so that none may tell the tale."
"Master," pleaded Amodor, "help us. We cannot fight this augury. We have
no power over it. You cannot leave us defenseless against it."
"You have one choice," said Cole. "Send the object of its desire far
away. It will follow and leave you in peace. Until it has taken its victim it
cannot harm you. If you send the object of its desire away, it will no longer
bother you."
"You wished to purchase Dolcine only a moment ago," said Amodor. "I give
her to you. She is now your property. Take her away from us."
"I don't know," said Cole. "This is a powerful augury. While it cannot
harm me it will be a great burden on me."
"Please, master, I beg of you," said Amodor. "I am a simple farmer. I
give her to you free and clear. No payment. She is yours. Please take her far
from us so that this augury will not take its vengeance on us."
"Okay," said Cole. "Dolcine, gather your belongings quickly. We must
leave this place immediately." His voice rose slightly so that he was sure Leo
could hear him. "When we leave this place, the augury will follow. No one must
follow for at least three days. Only then will the augury be taken from you."
"Bless you, master, bless you," said Amodor as Margaret hurried to her
quarters. "None shall leave this place for three days. We shall pray to the
Oracle that you be given the power to overcome this augury. We praise you for
your benevolence to us."
Margaret returned a few moments later carrying two small bags. She
huddled close to Paige and Piper obviously frightened of Leo. Cole turned to
face Leo.
"Hear me, augury," he said loudly. "I am a great demon. My power is
immense. I take the object of your desire with me. Leave these demonis in
peace. If you wish the woman, you must take her from me."
Cole turned and began to head away from the ranch. Leo had a perplexed
look on his face but followed as Piper, Paige, and Margaret hurried behind Cole.
Cole glanced back several time to make sure no one was following them. All he
saw was the group of demonis and gadlings huddled together in fear watching as
Leo walked close behind.
Cole walked for nearly an hour before he finally came to a stop. He
backtracked a few yards and surveyed the countryside. There was no sign of
anyone following them. Then he returned to the three women and Leo.
"What the hell was that all about?" Piper shouted. "Calling Leo an evil
augury. That he was going to destroy all of them. I thought you were claiming
to be good. How can you claim that after what you did to Leo?"
"I didn't do anything to Leo," said Cole, looking over at the specter
standing next to Piper. "When he suddenly appeared I got an idea. We couldn't
buy Margaret. But if they thought she was a danger I figured Amodor would let
her go. And from what she told us about auguries, it sounded like the best way
to do it."
"So, I'm not cursed?" asked Margaret looking fearfully at Leo.
"No," said Cole. "Didn't you hear Piper? Leo's no augury. He's a White
Lighter. As a witch, you should know about White Lighters."
"White Lighter?" questioned Margaret. "That makes him good."
"Very good," said Paige. "I have to hand it to you, Cole. I didn't know
what you had in mind. But you seemed to have pulled it off nicely. We find Leo
and get Margaret without having to pay for her. Not a bad days work."
"Why is Leo a spirit?" Piper asked. "He said he wasn't dead. But look at
him. Why can't he say anything?"
"Because he's a White Lighter," said Margaret, now more relaxed. "White
Lighters' can't physically enter this realm. Because they've all ready died.
The best that can happen is that he can manifest himself as a spirit. But it's
quite taxing. And he obviously hasn't gotten it completely right yet since he
can't talk."
"So he's not dead?" questioned Paige.
"No," said Margaret. "Well, yes he is. He has to be if he's a White
Lighter. But the Leo you know is fine. He's just not corporeal in this realm."
"Cole Turner," said Piper turning to Cole, "don't ever do anything like
that again. You had me scared to death of what might happen."
"Sorry," said Cole. He turned to Leo. "Can you still hear me?"
Leo nodded his head yes.
"Do you understand what happened?" Cole asked.
Again, Leo nodded his head yes.
"Good," said Cole. "I didn't want you to misunderstand."
Leo just nodded his head again.
"If he practices," said Margaret, "he'll get better at manifesting
himself. Eventually he should be able to speak. But as I said, it's very
taxing."
"Well, at least we know he's okay," said Piper. "Don't worry, honey.
We'll find some way to help you."
Leo just smiled at her.
"Well," said Cole, "we'd better get going. We have a long way to go."
"Where are we going?" Paige asked.
"To see this Oracle," said Cole. "It sounds to me like it's the one being
in this place that can help us."
Without another word Cole turned and began to walk north. With no other
ideas open to them, the rest fell in behind him and began the long journey to
the Oracle.
"Oh thank goodness," cried Piper rushing to embrace Leo. "We thought we'd
lost you."
But instead of embracing him Piper passed right through him. As if he
wasn't there. Leo turned to look at her. That's when she noticed his
transparency. Tears came to her eyes.
"He's dead," she sobbed.
Leo looked like he was trying to speak but there was no sound coming out.
Cole walked up to him.
"Leo, can you hear me?" he asked.
Leo nodded his head yes.
"Are you dead?" Cole asked.
Leo shook his head no. He mouthed something but Cole couldn't make out
what it was.
"I don't think he's dead," Cole said to Piper. "I think something else is
going on here."
"Augury," cried Amodor. "Stand clear of it. It has come for Dolcine.
But is it a good augury or an evil one?"
"For crying out loud," said Piper, "that's no augury. That's Leo. He's a
White Lighter. Kind of like an angel."
"White Lighter?" Amodor repeated slowly. "Angel? Your words have no
meaning for me."
All the time Cole seemed to be thinking. Suddenly he turned toward Amodor
and the crowd.
"It's because this is an evil augury," he said loudly. "It has bewitched
her. Cast a spell so that she serves it. It is an evil omen. And it has come
for Dolcine."
"And all who are around here will suffer," said Amodor, taking a stockley
out of his robes. "We must kill the bearer of this evil omen."
"No," cried Cole. "That will only anger the augury. It will take its
vengeance on all of you. This augury is an aid to witches. It comes to make a new witch. It wants Dolcine."
"Cole, what are you doing?" asked Paige.
Cole turned his back to the crowd and faced Paige.
"Go with me on this," he whispered to her. "I have an idea. Just trust
me."
Cole turned back to the crowd.
"Ask her," he said pointing at Paige. "She can tell you the truth of this
augury. Tell them, Paige. Tell them how this man died in a great war that
killed many. How he was returned to guide and protect witches."
"It . . . . it's true," said Paige, not knowing exactly what Cole was up
to. "He fought in a great war. Many died, including him. Then he returned as
a White Lighter. A spirit that gives aid and guidance to witches. He has
bewitched my sister. Caused her to fall in love with him. Now he seeks to
bewitch Margaret, I mean Dolcine."
"This is a great evil," Cole called out. "All who have witnessed it this
day will die a horrible death. It will seek its vengeance on everyone and none
have the power to stop it."
"An aid to witches?" questioned Amodor. "This cannot be. All witches
were destroyed long ago. There are no more witches."
"This augury will restore them," said Cole. "It cannot harm me. You all
know I am demon. My power is great. It has no power over me or those who serve
me. But I cannot protect you, alas. It has come for Dolcine and when it has
taken her it will destroy all witnesses so that none may tell the tale."
"Master," pleaded Amodor, "help us. We cannot fight this augury. We have
no power over it. You cannot leave us defenseless against it."
"You have one choice," said Cole. "Send the object of its desire far
away. It will follow and leave you in peace. Until it has taken its victim it
cannot harm you. If you send the object of its desire away, it will no longer
bother you."
"You wished to purchase Dolcine only a moment ago," said Amodor. "I give
her to you. She is now your property. Take her away from us."
"I don't know," said Cole. "This is a powerful augury. While it cannot
harm me it will be a great burden on me."
"Please, master, I beg of you," said Amodor. "I am a simple farmer. I
give her to you free and clear. No payment. She is yours. Please take her far
from us so that this augury will not take its vengeance on us."
"Okay," said Cole. "Dolcine, gather your belongings quickly. We must
leave this place immediately." His voice rose slightly so that he was sure Leo
could hear him. "When we leave this place, the augury will follow. No one must
follow for at least three days. Only then will the augury be taken from you."
"Bless you, master, bless you," said Amodor as Margaret hurried to her
quarters. "None shall leave this place for three days. We shall pray to the
Oracle that you be given the power to overcome this augury. We praise you for
your benevolence to us."
Margaret returned a few moments later carrying two small bags. She
huddled close to Paige and Piper obviously frightened of Leo. Cole turned to
face Leo.
"Hear me, augury," he said loudly. "I am a great demon. My power is
immense. I take the object of your desire with me. Leave these demonis in
peace. If you wish the woman, you must take her from me."
Cole turned and began to head away from the ranch. Leo had a perplexed
look on his face but followed as Piper, Paige, and Margaret hurried behind Cole.
Cole glanced back several time to make sure no one was following them. All he
saw was the group of demonis and gadlings huddled together in fear watching as
Leo walked close behind.
Cole walked for nearly an hour before he finally came to a stop. He
backtracked a few yards and surveyed the countryside. There was no sign of
anyone following them. Then he returned to the three women and Leo.
"What the hell was that all about?" Piper shouted. "Calling Leo an evil
augury. That he was going to destroy all of them. I thought you were claiming
to be good. How can you claim that after what you did to Leo?"
"I didn't do anything to Leo," said Cole, looking over at the specter
standing next to Piper. "When he suddenly appeared I got an idea. We couldn't
buy Margaret. But if they thought she was a danger I figured Amodor would let
her go. And from what she told us about auguries, it sounded like the best way
to do it."
"So, I'm not cursed?" asked Margaret looking fearfully at Leo.
"No," said Cole. "Didn't you hear Piper? Leo's no augury. He's a White
Lighter. As a witch, you should know about White Lighters."
"White Lighter?" questioned Margaret. "That makes him good."
"Very good," said Paige. "I have to hand it to you, Cole. I didn't know
what you had in mind. But you seemed to have pulled it off nicely. We find Leo
and get Margaret without having to pay for her. Not a bad days work."
"Why is Leo a spirit?" Piper asked. "He said he wasn't dead. But look at
him. Why can't he say anything?"
"Because he's a White Lighter," said Margaret, now more relaxed. "White
Lighters' can't physically enter this realm. Because they've all ready died.
The best that can happen is that he can manifest himself as a spirit. But it's
quite taxing. And he obviously hasn't gotten it completely right yet since he
can't talk."
"So he's not dead?" questioned Paige.
"No," said Margaret. "Well, yes he is. He has to be if he's a White
Lighter. But the Leo you know is fine. He's just not corporeal in this realm."
"Cole Turner," said Piper turning to Cole, "don't ever do anything like
that again. You had me scared to death of what might happen."
"Sorry," said Cole. He turned to Leo. "Can you still hear me?"
Leo nodded his head yes.
"Do you understand what happened?" Cole asked.
Again, Leo nodded his head yes.
"Good," said Cole. "I didn't want you to misunderstand."
Leo just nodded his head again.
"If he practices," said Margaret, "he'll get better at manifesting
himself. Eventually he should be able to speak. But as I said, it's very
taxing."
"Well, at least we know he's okay," said Piper. "Don't worry, honey.
We'll find some way to help you."
Leo just smiled at her.
"Well," said Cole, "we'd better get going. We have a long way to go."
"Where are we going?" Paige asked.
"To see this Oracle," said Cole. "It sounds to me like it's the one being
in this place that can help us."
Without another word Cole turned and began to walk north. With no other
ideas open to them, the rest fell in behind him and began the long journey to
the Oracle.