TWENTY
"So we can either find Phoebe or find a way back home," said Piper. "I don't like the options."
"I can assist in only one matter," said Prue.
"But why do we only get one question?" Paige asked. "There are five of us. Shouldn't we each get a question?"
"You came to this place together," said Prue, glancing again at Margaret. "You may ask one question only."
"Okay," said Piper, "the most important thing is that we find Phoebe. We can find a way out of here somehow."
"What if we can't?" Cole asked. "The Oracle said that Gastion could leave because of his power. Presumably I can do the same thing if I change to Belthazor. But I can't take any of you with me. Wouldn't it be easier to find Phoebe than to try and find a way out of here?"
"Phoebe could be anywhere," said Piper. "We have no idea how big this realm is. We could spend years looking for her. And we might never find her. I'm sure there are other people here like Margaret. People who know things. They can help us find a way out."
"Besides," said Paige, "Gastion found a way out. We will, too. I'm with Piper. First we find Phoebe. Then we look for a way home."
"Well," said Leo, "we did come to find Phoebe. And the girls can be pretty resourceful when they want to be. And maybe Gastion knows a way out of here. You did say he'd been here about thirty years."
"It's your decision," Cole said to Piper. "Whatever you decide, I'll back you."
"Thanks," said Piper. She turned to Prue. "I want to know where my sister is."
"Travel west for three and a half days," said Prue. "You will come to a village. There you will find the one you call Gastion. He has taken your sister there. They are to be married in five days."
"Five days?" questioned Paige. "Then we'd better get there and stop it."
"That may not be easy," said Cole. "I suspect that Gastion has been using his secretions to keep Phoebe's memories suppressed. She'll be under the impression that things are exactly what he's told her they are, whatever that is. She probably won't even trust you since she won't know you."
"One thing at a time," said Piper. "The Oracle said it would take four days to get there. That leaves us one day to do something about it." She turned back to Prue. "Thank you. We appreciate the help."
"Go in peace," said the Oracle.
The party turned and began to head toward the exit. They hadn't traveled more than a few feet when Margaret suddenly stopped.
"She said we came to this place together," said Margaret.
"Yeah, so?" questioned Piper.
"Well, did she mean this plane of existence or this cavern?"
"Gee, I don't know," said Paige.
Margaret turned back to the Oracle who was still standing inside the circle of light.
"May I ask a question?" Margaret.
"Do you seek assistance?" Prue asked.
"Simply clarification," said Margaret.
"Then you may ask your question," said Prue.
"You said we had come to this place together," Margaret said. "Did you mean this realm or this cavern?"
"They are one and the same," said Prue. "This cavern exists because of this realm. Without this cavern, this realm would not exist."
"Okay," said Margaret, "except I didn't come to this realm with them. I've been here for ten years."
"Then you are not of them," said Prue. "You did not come with them."
"Does that mean I can ask for help, too?" Margaret asked.
"All who are granted audience may ask for help," said Prue.
"Then I want to know the way back home," said Margaret. "How do I get back where I belong?"
Prue stood looking at them for a moment. She seemed to be thinking.
"The answer stands before you," said Prue. "When the joining is complete, and the circle is formed, you will return to the place you belong."
"What does that mean?" Cole asked.
"Time will reveal the answer," said Prue. "It is all I can tell you."
"What joining?" Piper questioned. "Joining of what? And what circle?"
"As I said," said Prue, "time will reveal the answer. However, for my assistance I will ask one thing of you."
"Well, I guess we can't say no," said Paige. "Even if your answers are couched in riddles."
"The one you call Gastion," said Prue. "He is not natural to this realm. He subverts the natural order here. Just as you subvert the natural order. When you have returned to your realm, I ask that you seal the portal that brought you here. So that none may ever come here again. So that the natural order may be restored."
"Assuming we can figure out this riddle and get back home," said Cole, "I'll see what I can do about closing the portal."
"Thank you," said Prue. "That will help to restore the natural order in this realm. And it will prevent further disorder in the future."
With nothing left to do the five turned and walked out of the cavern. When they reached the entrance the same creature that had led them in was waiting for them. In one corner of the entrance were several blankets and some food.
"The Oracle has allowed you to remain here in the safety of this cavern for the night," said the creature. "When the sun rises in the morning you will find your way easier than when you came here."
Without another word the small creature turned and disappeared into the cavern.
"So we can either find Phoebe or find a way back home," said Piper. "I don't like the options."
"I can assist in only one matter," said Prue.
"But why do we only get one question?" Paige asked. "There are five of us. Shouldn't we each get a question?"
"You came to this place together," said Prue, glancing again at Margaret. "You may ask one question only."
"Okay," said Piper, "the most important thing is that we find Phoebe. We can find a way out of here somehow."
"What if we can't?" Cole asked. "The Oracle said that Gastion could leave because of his power. Presumably I can do the same thing if I change to Belthazor. But I can't take any of you with me. Wouldn't it be easier to find Phoebe than to try and find a way out of here?"
"Phoebe could be anywhere," said Piper. "We have no idea how big this realm is. We could spend years looking for her. And we might never find her. I'm sure there are other people here like Margaret. People who know things. They can help us find a way out."
"Besides," said Paige, "Gastion found a way out. We will, too. I'm with Piper. First we find Phoebe. Then we look for a way home."
"Well," said Leo, "we did come to find Phoebe. And the girls can be pretty resourceful when they want to be. And maybe Gastion knows a way out of here. You did say he'd been here about thirty years."
"It's your decision," Cole said to Piper. "Whatever you decide, I'll back you."
"Thanks," said Piper. She turned to Prue. "I want to know where my sister is."
"Travel west for three and a half days," said Prue. "You will come to a village. There you will find the one you call Gastion. He has taken your sister there. They are to be married in five days."
"Five days?" questioned Paige. "Then we'd better get there and stop it."
"That may not be easy," said Cole. "I suspect that Gastion has been using his secretions to keep Phoebe's memories suppressed. She'll be under the impression that things are exactly what he's told her they are, whatever that is. She probably won't even trust you since she won't know you."
"One thing at a time," said Piper. "The Oracle said it would take four days to get there. That leaves us one day to do something about it." She turned back to Prue. "Thank you. We appreciate the help."
"Go in peace," said the Oracle.
The party turned and began to head toward the exit. They hadn't traveled more than a few feet when Margaret suddenly stopped.
"She said we came to this place together," said Margaret.
"Yeah, so?" questioned Piper.
"Well, did she mean this plane of existence or this cavern?"
"Gee, I don't know," said Paige.
Margaret turned back to the Oracle who was still standing inside the circle of light.
"May I ask a question?" Margaret.
"Do you seek assistance?" Prue asked.
"Simply clarification," said Margaret.
"Then you may ask your question," said Prue.
"You said we had come to this place together," Margaret said. "Did you mean this realm or this cavern?"
"They are one and the same," said Prue. "This cavern exists because of this realm. Without this cavern, this realm would not exist."
"Okay," said Margaret, "except I didn't come to this realm with them. I've been here for ten years."
"Then you are not of them," said Prue. "You did not come with them."
"Does that mean I can ask for help, too?" Margaret asked.
"All who are granted audience may ask for help," said Prue.
"Then I want to know the way back home," said Margaret. "How do I get back where I belong?"
Prue stood looking at them for a moment. She seemed to be thinking.
"The answer stands before you," said Prue. "When the joining is complete, and the circle is formed, you will return to the place you belong."
"What does that mean?" Cole asked.
"Time will reveal the answer," said Prue. "It is all I can tell you."
"What joining?" Piper questioned. "Joining of what? And what circle?"
"As I said," said Prue, "time will reveal the answer. However, for my assistance I will ask one thing of you."
"Well, I guess we can't say no," said Paige. "Even if your answers are couched in riddles."
"The one you call Gastion," said Prue. "He is not natural to this realm. He subverts the natural order here. Just as you subvert the natural order. When you have returned to your realm, I ask that you seal the portal that brought you here. So that none may ever come here again. So that the natural order may be restored."
"Assuming we can figure out this riddle and get back home," said Cole, "I'll see what I can do about closing the portal."
"Thank you," said Prue. "That will help to restore the natural order in this realm. And it will prevent further disorder in the future."
With nothing left to do the five turned and walked out of the cavern. When they reached the entrance the same creature that had led them in was waiting for them. In one corner of the entrance were several blankets and some food.
"The Oracle has allowed you to remain here in the safety of this cavern for the night," said the creature. "When the sun rises in the morning you will find your way easier than when you came here."
Without another word the small creature turned and disappeared into the cavern.