One year ago, a demon, Novak, and his henchmen attack several robed men, the Chinese Zodiacs, hurling fireballs; but they raise a protective sphere and the fireballs have no effect. Novak is after Buddha's Mystical Staff, which the Zodiacs are in charge of guarding.
In the present, Piper is trying to use a divining potion to search for answers on who they have to fight to get Leo back, but she isn't having any luck. Phoebe has dropped by the manor and finds Piper in the attic. Victor has taken Wyatt and Chris out for the day. Phoebe suggests that Piper take a break and spend some time with the boys, but Piper is solely focused on saving Leo. Phoebe offers to help, but Piper tells her to enjoy her life and that it's not her burden to bear. As they leave the attic, the potion finally works, unnoticed by the two sisters, and reveals a symbol in the bowl.
Novak, at Magic School, plots his next attack with his henchmen. He has been after the staff for decades and is tired of conserving his strength for the one time each year that it's vulnerable. Novak is hopeful that this will be the year he finally succeeds. One of the henchmen proposes keeping track of a servant, Lo Pan, who alone knows how to find the Sacred Garden. He explains that Rooster, the Zodiac currently in charge of the staff, will be the first to arrive and that they'll be there, awaiting his arrival.
Phoebe has moved into her new condo. Billie visits, but Phoebe would rather be alone. She suggests that Billie help Piper divine for answers on how to save Leo. No sooner does Billie leave than Paige orbs in, further bothering Phoebe. Paige has told Henry that she is a witch and he has more questions than Paige can handle. Phoebe suggests that Paige just be patient with him and try not to explain it from a magical perspective, but in more simpler terms that will help Henry to understand the bigger picture of magic. As soon as Paige orbs away, a neighbor rings the doorbell about her housewarming party.
Billie joins Piper in the attic of the manor. They remake the divining potion with Billie's corrections and it reveals a Chinese character in the bowl. They find the character in the window of a laundry, where they meet Lo Pan. He tells them that he called for them and walks through a tapestry. Piper and Billie follow, and they find the demons attacking again. Novak's henchman has killed one of the Zodiacs, Rooster, and Piper and Billie fight him off. Lo Pan tells the witches that they now must protect Buddha's staff. Lo Pan explains that the day has come to pass the staff to the next Zodiac, and they must protect the staff from evil until midnight or else the eternal cycle will end. He also warns them that the staff has the power to influence others with the wielder's personality if they are not of clear mind while holding it.
Paige and Henry are at the manor; she's trying to help him understand why they don't use their powers to fix the non-magical problems in the world. Paige is trying to explain to Henry that good witches use their powers to deal with demons and the other forces of evil, just like how he, as a cop, deal with human criminals. Henry understands that, but still wonders why they don't use their powers to fix the non-magical problems in the world. After Henry leaves to take a call, Piper comes in and asks for Paige's help with the staff. Unknown to Piper, Paige is influenced by the staff with Piper's obsessive nature and now only wants to help Henry. Paige leaves to help Henry, leaving Piper alone and upset by her refusal to help.
Lo Pan and Billie are in the Sacred Garden. He helps her control her power of projection. She is unwilling to use her power, having turned her parents into killers ("Mr. & Mrs. Witch"); but he shows her a dying tree, and helps her to use her power to revive it.
Several Zodiacs, not knowing what Lo Pan has done, attack Piper at the manor. She blasts, but the Zodiacs raise their protective bubble. Piper threatens to break the staff. After Piper's threat, one of them finally offers to talk with her.
Lo Pan instructs Billie in the use of her power. Billie concentrates and finds herself in a dark cell. She finds Christy, cowering.
The Zodiacs explain that Lo Pan is a servant, and only speaks when spoken to. They knew that Rooster was dead, and they had tracked the staff to Piper. They cannot take it back until the New Year. Novak and his henchmen attack, and the Zodiacs raise their bubble, protecting Piper. Dog, next in line for the staff, transports Piper and the staff out of the manor. Dog tells Piper that she must leave with the staff and then goes back inside to join the battle against Novak and his henchmen.
Paige has orbed Henry to the top of the Golden Gate Bridge. She has orbed Henry all around the world and now wants to call the Elders to help Henry understand the bigger picture of magic. Piper calls and asks for Paige's help again but she's still focused on helping Henry. Henry falls off the bridge. Paige hangs up on Piper, still refusing to help, and saves Henry.
Phoebe is hosting her housewarming party when Piper drops by with the staff. Unknown to Piper, the staff influences Phoebe and she is now solely focused on her party. Piper is fed up with dealing with this problem by herself and passes the staff to Phoebe. Once in Phoebe's hands, the staff frees Phoebe and instead influences Piper. Piper is now focused on spending time with her kids and leaves Phoebe with the staff. The staff influences Phoebe's party guests, interrupting her housewarming party.
Paige orbs into the manor, no longer under the staff's influence. Novak and his henchmen are still there fighting the Zodiacs. In their hasty retreat, the demons knock Paige over; the Zodiacs teleport away right after them. Phoebe comes to the manor with the staff which she has covered up and finds Paige on the floor. Paige tells her about the demons and the unknown beings (the Zodiacs). Phoebe suspects that they're after the staff, which Paige recognizes as Buddha's Mystical Staff. Phoebe tells her that it has a strange effect on people and Paige realizes that's why she was so obsessed with helping Henry. They realize that they need to find Piper.
Billie talks with a much-younger Christy, who has heard whispering outside the cave that she doesn't understand. Billie tells Christy that they are both witches. Christy is wearing an amulet bearing the symbol from her diary. The demons approach, and Billie calls for Lo Pan. She finds herself back in the Sacred Garden. Lo Pan explains that Christy was still open to her at that point in her life.
Piper has a flat tire while on the way to meet Victor and the boys, and Novak finds her. Phoebe and Paige are still looking for Piper. Phoebe wants to try a spell and summon Piper, but Paige thinks that she just might be with the boys. Just then, Novak arrives at the manor with Piper, bringing the three sisters together. Having found the staff there, he uses it to influence the sisters with his evil nature.
He wants them to kill Lo Pan, as only he protects the Sacred Garden and can pass the staff on. In the Sacred Garden, they find Lo Pan and Billie. Piper blasts at them, but they manage to dodge it. Paige orbs a boulder at them, but Billie deflects it away. After some coaching by Lo Pan, Billie projects and the sisters are freed from Novak's influence. The four witches orb into Magic School. Paige orbs the staff into her hands, and the four of them raise it and destroy all of the demons by channeling their power through the staff. Phoebe, Paige, and Billie leave to deal with their personal problems, leaving Piper alone to deal with returning the staff as it is almost midnight.
Paige and Henry are on top of the Golden Gate Bridge again. Henry, at last, fully accepts Paige's magical nature. He finally understands the bigger picture of magic and that what they're doing is greatly helping the world after learning how the sisters helped the Zodiacs protect the eternal cycle. The two of them admit that they are in love with each other.
Piper enters the Sacred Garden and finds that Lo Pan has been promoted: he is the new Rooster. She hands the staff to him and he tells Piper that patience can be rewarded. He explains to her that Leo will only be returned when it's time; that she has to be patient and wait for the battle to come to them. Lo Pan heads over to Dog and passes on the staff, officially continuing the eternal cycle.
Billie has found Christy's cell, and possibly Christy too.
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