A/N. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I've been on holiday, away from a computer. Anyway, I'm back now but this will be the last chapter of The Blessed One. My apologies for not letting you know earlier, but I've only just decided myself. Also, I will not be doing a sequel. I'm sorry to all the readers and reviewers who were expecting one, but I'm just completely unmotivated with this story. I would like to thank everyone who had read and reviewed; without you I wouldn't have gone this far.
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Chapter 28When Phoebe awoke she expected to find herself snuggled close to Jason in her nice comfy bed, situated in her nice warm apartment. But she could tell from the damp hard floor beneath her that she was nowhere near a bed. Her eyes flickered open and she instantly shut them again. Wherever she may be was filled with blinding light.
"A bit bright isn't it?" A female voice said.
Phoebe forced her eyes open. For a moment the pure white light clouded her view. However, after a few sharp blinks it appeared to fade and Phoebe could see whom the voice belonged to.
Standing a few metres from Phoebe was a plump, middle aged woman, no older than forty-five. Her jet-black hair looked almost wig like and hung to her jaw line. Her face was chubby and heart shaped, her lips turned in a smile and her eyes twinkled with kindness. She wore the same style dress as Shuckna. In fact, she even looked a little bit like the demoness.
Phoebe pushed herself to her feet and adopted a fighting stance; not noticing the woman was no threat, due to her anxious and scared state.
The woman chuckled merrily. "I'm not here to hurt you dear."
Her voice was so sincere Phoebe found herself believing the woman and relaxing her pose. Letting her breaths come out slowly and steadily, Phoebe looked around.
The witch and woman seemed to be in a field. Not the usual field of grass or wheat, but one of tall reeds. They stretched on for miles and miles, a sea of mossy green and earthy brown. The only clear space was the one Phoebe stood in. The reason for this soon became apparent to the middle Charmed One. Roughly ten metres away was a thin stream; the water skipping a tripping over a shallow floor. The whole vicinity was calming and peaceful. Even the woman radiated serenity.
"Who are you? Where am I?" Phoebe demanded, her tone dripping with distrust.
"My name is Islith. And you're in the underworld my dear."
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"No," Paige whimpered. "She can't be… she can't be." The youngest witch couldn't even speak the words, which caused her so much pain.
"I'm so sorry." Leo repeated, wrapping Piper in a tight embrace.
The eldest witch did not respond. She just sat there, her eyes frozen and unfocused. Tears slid silently down her cheeks, but she didn't seem to notice, she didn't seem to care.
Ryan came up from behind Paige and she rose to cling to him, gratefully excepting the comfort he offered. He made no sound, just rubbed his distraught wife's back as she sobbed.
"How can she be gone?" Paige howled.
"She isn't," Piper hissed. "I won't let her die. Not like I let Prue die." Piper shoved Leo off her, rose to her feet and stalked over to the Book Of Shadows. "There must be something in here."
Leo watched his wife go, his heart aching for her. She barely managed when Prue died, and only pulled through because they found Paige. Could she cope with losing Phoebe?
"Oh no," Piper moaned.
Paige lifted her head from Ryan's shoulder and felt a stab of irrational fear for her other sister's safety, which she quickly quashed. Piper was only a few yards away, of course nothing would happen to her. "What?"
"It says here that Shuckna's work can be undone by the Power Of Three."
"What?" Paige shrieked, joining Piper. "How're we supposed to save the Power Of Three without the Power Of Three?"
"Maybe I can help with that."
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"I'm… I'm what?" Phoebe stammered, not sure if she had heard correctly.
"In the afterlife," Islith repeated patiently, as if she was used to this reaction.
"Bu… but that would make me…"
"Dead," Islith filled in helpfully.
"Dead," Phoebe echoed softly, panic and fear coursing through her veins. She couldn't be dead. She had a fiancé and sisters. And a daughter. Phoebe could not, would not, put Phoenix through what she herself had endured. Growing up without a mother was awful, and Phoebe would find a way of getting back to her little girl no matter what. Phoebe pushed unsettling thoughts away, focusing on how to get out. "If I'm dead, why aren't I where dead witches usually go?"
"Because you were killed at the hands of the Egyptian demoness, Shuckna, which sends you straight to the Egyptian afterlife."
"But she didn't hit me with an energy ball!" Phoebe exclaimed.
"The sand balls Shuckna hit you with are full of a slow working poison," Islith explained.
Phoebe began to pace, processing this information. So not only was she dead, but also destined to spend an after life away from her loved ones? No, not going to happen. Islith seemed nice enough and willing to help. She would get Phoebe out.
"Okay then, how do I get out?" Phoebe stopped pacing and looked hopefully at her companion.
Islith sighed sadly. "I'm afraid you don't."
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That voice. So full of fun, love and care. Piper hadn't heard it in so long, and yet she recognised it instantly. But it couldn't be who she thought it was, could it? She was dead and gone. She had been for years.
Piper turned around slowly and almost dropped to the floor. "Prue?" she asked, not allowing herself to get excited. Beside her Paige gave a small gasp.
Prudence Halliwell grinned happily. She didn't look any different from the day she died, expect instead of hip-hugging jeans, she now wore a creamy white dress. "The one and only. Well, technically not any more… oh just give me a hug!"
Piper stumbled forward cautiously, as if Prue would disappear the instant she touched her. "How? Is… is it really you?"
Prue rolled her eyes. "Who else is it going to be?"
That last remarked confirmed it for Piper, and she sprinted into her older sister's arms. "I've missed you so much! I prayed and prayed for you to come back…"
"I know, and I missed you too Piper. But as much as I love you, can you please let go? You're kinda suffocating me. And that pressure can't be good for your baby."
"Oops, sorry." Piper stepped back meekly. And then she noticed Paige, standing a little way away, her eyes downcast and hands clasped. "Paige…"
"Oh my God is that…?" Prue muttered in Piper's ear.
"Yep, this is our baby sister, Prue," Piper said proudly. "I wanna introduce you!" Piper pulled her oldest sister to meet her youngest. "Prue this is Paige, Paige this is Prue."
Prue's ice blue eyes sparkled as she embraced Paige. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."
"Uh." Came the reply. She was so completely shocked to find herself in the arms of the mighty Prue Halliwell; Paige couldn't muster any words.
"Ooh! I've waited so long to see that!" Piper squealed. "Phoebe would…" And then Piper remembered. Phoebe wasn't there. Phoebe would never be there again. The timing witch's eyes filled with tears and she let out a choked sob.
"Right, Phoebe." Prue released Paige as Leo came over to comfort his wife. The eldest sister smiled her greetings and the whitelighter, knowing she needed to perform her task, and realising Leo would understand that. "Phoebe is why I'm here."
"I don't understand," Paige said, slipping her arm around Ryan.
Prue ignored her little sister as curiosity got the better of her. She extended her hand towards Ryan, who took it. "And you are?"
"I'm Ryan, Paige's husband."
"Nice to meet you Ryan."
Piper squinted her eyes at the two. "Okay, meetings later. Saving Phoebe now."
"Of course." Prue dropped Ryan's hand. "I'm here to temporarily reconstitute the Power Of Three, just long enough to save Phoebe."
"Can't you stay longer?" Piper's chocolate brown eyes were filled with disappointment.
"Maybe."
Piper smirked at the twinkle in Prue's eyes and slung her arms over both her sisters' shoulders. "Ready?"
"Absolutely," Prue and Paige replied at the exact same time.
Without another word Prue, Piper and Paige began to chant.
Earth, fire, water, air
Goddess, see our sister lying there,
Hear our call, head our plea,
Release her from her misery888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
"What d'you mean I..?" Phoebe stopped mid-rant. She felt funny. All tingly and warm.
Islith gasped in shock and Phoebe looked down at her body. It was pulsating a warm, golden glow. Before Islith could react, Phoebe dissolved into a million points of light.
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Prue, Piper and Paige tightened their grip and repeated the spell two, three, four times, once for each sister. They stopped when a white mist appeared over Phoebe's lifeless body. The mist lowered and sunk into the Charmed One.
Phoebe gasped and coughed as the life rushed back and flowed through her. She sat up, but was instantly knocked back down as Piper and Paige jumped on her. Prue watched the re-union with a watery smile.
"Guys get off," Phoebe complained. "I've only just been brought back to life. I don't want to suffocate."
Piper and Paige dutifully piled off and joined their husbands, while Phoebe pulled herself up and dusted herself down. She stopped short, sensing someone else's gaze on her. Slowly she lifted her head and let out a squeal as she noticed Prue for the first time. The former youngest ran into the oldest's arms and clung to her as if she'd never let go.
"I see I'm still getting you out of scrapes," Prue joked.
"And I couldn't be more grateful," Phoebe replied honestly.
"As much as I hate to break this up, you still have a demon to vanquish," Leo reminded them.
"Right, let's vanquish this bitch," Phoebe said eager to get her revenge.
"How do we summon Shuckna?" Piper asked.
"There's no need," Shuckna told them as she appeared in a tornado of sand.
"Who thinks we should give her the Power Of Four?" Phoebe asked.
"Definitely," was the unified response."
The four sisters clasped hands and chanted
The Power Of Four Forever More Shuckna burst into a million particles of sand and was gone. But the sisters stayed joined, for the first time as the Power Of Four.777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777
The End.
Once again, I apologise for not writing a sequel, and I thank everyone who has read and reviewed.