Part 4: The New Look
Phoebe turned to face Leo, with an inquisitive expression.
Leo cleared his throat, and plunged right in.
"Uh...The Elders only told me who the warlock is. His name's Santiago. They don't know any more than that." Leo sighed, shrugging his shoulders, in an uneasy posture. Piper sidled up to Leo, wrapping her arms around him, and asked, "Are you ok, Leo?"
He nodded quickly. "I'm fine. You need to find out how to vanquish Santiago."
"The attic!", chorused Phoebe, Piper, and Prue simulanteously. The three clambered up the stairs, reaching the attic, followed by a lingering whitelighter.
Flipping open the Book of Shadows, Phoebe muttered under her breath. "I know I have seen that name somewhere..." Prue looked at her youngest sister with puzzlement. "You have, Pheebs?" She nodded silently. "Ah! Here it is...Santiago..."
Downstairs, a warlock with a twisted grimace passed for a evil leer, and darkly twinkling eyes, shimmered into the Kitchen. Looking around quickly, ascertaining that he was indeed truly alone, he drew out a light brown satchel that gave off a near visible fragrance, yet there was no scent emanating from it. He searched the room carefully, trying not to disturb anything.
A scuffle like footsteps appeared overhead, made Santiago's pulse quicken. Wild thoughts ran through his mind, 'They're coming! Where's the damn coffee?' At last he spied the half full coffee pot simmering. He rushed over to the coffee pot, and dumped the herbs quickly. The herbs slowly dissolved, and vanished into the murky depths of the steaming coffee.
Santiago whipped his head around, as he heard steps getting closer, and shimmered immediately away from the scene.
As the foursome entered the kitchen, Piper cocked her head quizzically. "Hm? something's off?" She glanced around her beloved kitchen with an intense scrunity, but couldn't find anything obvious that was amiss. Shrugging, she spoke, "I guess it was nothing."
Prue glanced around as well. "I didn't notice anything different. I think you're just probably jumpy, but we should keep an eye out anyways."
Piper nodded absentmindedly and waved her hands. "Anyone want some coffee while we talk about our plan of attack?" The others nodded eagerly.
Leo sighed, looking up, then shaking his head. "I gotta go. They need me to help with another charge."
Piper sighed, disappointedly, but nodded solemnly. She cracked a wry smile. "Hurry back!"
Leo grinned, and leaned into Piper's embrace, to give her a soft kiss, then orbed away.
"Damn. I hate it when he does that." Piper mock-grumbled, with a finger toward the sky.
Phoebe grinned softly. Piper headed over to the coffeepot. She retrieved three mugs from the cupboard, poured coffee into each, and gave the other two their mugs, which they took gratefully.
Prue started the conversation by pointing out Santiago's strength. "He is a warlock, who has always been fascinated by morphing, and hasn't found a witch with it until now. He wants your ring, Phoebe...which we already know. So, how do we vanquish him? He seems to have the power to throw lightning. There's no spell in the book. All it says is...'One who devises their own test, shall pass it, with strength inborn.' That makes no sense... " Prue lapsed into silence, pondering this last statement. Sipping her coffee, she didn't notice subtle changes occuring in her body. Piper sipped her coffee. A slight shiver went up Piper's spine.
Phoebe sipped her coffee unaware of anything except a slight warm pulsing from her ring. She didn't think anything of it, because it usually did that several times a day.
"Mmmm This is good coffee, Piper.", was Phoebe's contented comment.
Piper grinned. "Thanks Pheebs. Okay... I'm stumped by the 'One' business."
Phoebe nodded. "It just sounds like things are ...orchestrated, you know?" The ring on her finger pulsated stronger, as if confirming her feelings. Prue nodded gently, as if a thought occured to her. "I think so, Pheebs. I think so..."
Moments after this, Phoebe shuddered, as if in the grip of a premonition, yet it wasn't one of her usual ones.
Grey disorted edges lined the vision, of Phoebe standing alone, with her sisters slumped to the sides, and a ring flaring bright. A warlock shimmers out of the wall, loosing a lightning bolt toward Phoebe. Seeing herself duck, and Santiago strangling her. A bright light blinded Phoebe's eyes.
Quickly clutching the counter, blinking rapidly, unaware of her surroundings, her premonition left her drained, and shaking. Piper hurried over to Phoebe, wrapping an arm around her. Prue looked into her unseeing eyes, demanding, with worry and concern in her voice. "What did you see?"
end Part 4: A new look