Chapter Nine: The Power of '?'
Piper and Phoebe stared at each other guiltily. Despite the argument that had just occurred between the sisters, they had now potentially lost two of them to some sort of portal to a Very Evil Demon. Leo and Cole were also there, although Leo had just been called Up by the Elders so needed to leave. "We'll call you if we find anything." Piper said as he left.
"I should probably get going as well." Cole said. Phoebe nodded but Piper didn't register that he was speaking. She was already on her way up to the Attic. Phoebe rushed after her.
"Okay, here's the spell. We say it, they come here. Right?" Piper said in a high-pitched voice.
"Yeah." Phoebe agreed weakly. They started to chant:
"Power of the sisters' rise
Course unseen across the skies
Come to us who call you near
Come to us and settle here.
Blood to blood, I summon thee
Blood to blood, return to me."
Nothing happened. Not even a gust of wind. "This is all my fault; I just had to overreact, didn't I?" Phoebe asked helplessly. She was close to tears but refusing to cry. They would find Paris and Paige. They had to.
"No, honey, it's not your fault. Paige shouldn't have orbed out. She knew that The Manor was bugged, I don't even know why she did." Piper assured her softly. Then all of a sudden, there was a gust of wind and bright lights swirled in front of the two Halliwells. Once the lights were gone, Piper and Phoebe were shocked to see who they did.
"Prue?" Phoebe whispered.
Prue nodded and smiled and then Piper and Phoebe both started to cry. They rushed over to their older sister and hugged her tightly; all three of them sobbing. "But how? How are you here?" Piper asked.
"I came here to help you." Prue explained.
"Find Paris and Paige?" Piper asked softly.
"Yeah… but you won't be able to because none of you have your powers anymore." Prue said sadly.
"What? Why?" Phoebe asked.
"Remember that time, about a year ago, when the four of us had an argument? And the triquetra broke? It happened again." Prue explained. With each word, Piper and Phoebe felt the hope draining from their bodies.
Piper closed The Book and saw that it was true. The triquetra, the symbol of the Power of Four, was broken into four small pieces.
"But that's impossible…" Piper tried. "A demon did it last time."
"No, a demon gave us the anger to do it but you guys already had all the anger you needed, so just started arguing and then…" Prue explained.
"The Power of Four fell apart?" Phoebe finished. Prue nodded.
"So what are we going to do?" Piper asked frantically.
"I don't know yet…" Prue replied.
"What do you mean you don't know? Paris is a kid! Paige and her are stranded somewhere in the Underworld with no powers!" Piper asked, her panic evident in her voice.
"Come on, Piper. Stop panicking." Prue tried.
"Stop panicking? Are you kidding me? I'll stop panicking when we get our two little sisters away from demons that will easily kill them!" Piper yelled.
"Piper, calm down." Phoebe said softly.
"They're vulnerable and powerless. Even if the both of them had their powers, they wouldn't be able to fight off an uber powerful demon." Piper argued.
"We'll just have to think of a way to get your powers back and then you can find them and help them." Prue decided. Phoebe nodded in agreement and Piper put her head in her hands. This was all her fault.
