UPDATED (10-18): Staff of Dragon

[ladydameon]

Disclaimers: The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are not mine. I just do this for fun.



Title: Staff of Dragon

Author: LadyDameon

Beta: Lain

E-mail: ladydameon@hotmail.com

Feedback: Anything constructive is welcome. Besides, I need lots of reinforcement to keep me going.

Spoilers: Yup, the entire series with some AU seasonings. I'm not a hundred percent sure, but I have a feeling that this story will spring out from the Season Five plot line.

Pairing: W/T, X/A

Rating: R - graphic violence warning

Summary: A rescue goes bad as the Scoobies loose one of their own.





Chapter One





Buffy bolted into the cave. She had to get to Willow. She had to. There was nothing else as important, not even Dawn. Dawn was safe. Willow was in danger. Suddenly, the slayer stumbled onto her hands and knees. A rat-like demon came out of nowhere, claws scrambling to pull himself on top of Buffy. However, it was useless. The slayer slugged her axe and off went his head.



She scrambled to her feet once again. Buffy trusted the others to hold their own just long enough for her to reach Willow, for her to get Willow out of there. "Hang on, Will," Buffy gasped for each breath as she ran for all she was worth.



The slayer skidded to a stop as she entered the massive cavern. Gazing down from the ledge, she shivered at the sight before her. Black candles hung from hooks on the smooth, inky blue-black walls. With great caution and determination, Buffy made a quick decent to the soot-covered cavern floor where in the center laid the Black Mage. He was dead or at least, he looked dead. Quickly, she searched for her friend.



"Willow!" she cried. Her voice echoed through the emptiness of the cavern. "Will-” It was than that she saw her. "Willow." Buffy felt her throat tighten. The slayer stumbled, collapsed to her knees. In utter disbelief, Buffy rose, took a shaking step towards her friend. "Willow," she whispered. With a shaking hand, Buffy touched the redhead's boot.



"No," she rasped. She was too late. "No." A growl. "NO!" The slayer roared as she turned, raised her axe and slammed it down into the Black Mage. Again and again, she slammed the blade into the corpse. "No," Buffy cried as she dropped the axe and covered her eyes.



A hissing sound alerted her to a snake-like demon slithering out of its hiding place amidst the ocean of black. When she saw it heading towards Willow, Buffy instantly picked up her axe and chucked it into the creature. "You will not touch her," she hissed. Ripping the axe from the demon's head, Buffy gazed up at Willow. "I won't let any of them touch you." With that promise, the slayer ran out of the cavern to destroy every demon and servant of the Black Mage.



At the cave entrance, Giles greeted Buffy.



"We are holding them back. Some are even fleeing. Where's Willow?" It was than that the Watcher noticed the angry eyes glaring onto the battlefield.



Buffy looked up at Giles and a tear rolled down her cheek. She couldn't fail now. She wouldn't allow her rage to be kept in check, not for this, not for what was done. Suddenly, she released a primal scream and charged into the fray.



Giles called out for the others to regroup to him. He didn't want them in Buffy's way. Never had he seen such blind fury in her.



"What's going on?" huffed Xander. "Why'd Buff go all Rambo?"



"I don't know, but I need you all to guard the entrance while I go down to the cavern." Giles turned and started his trot into the darkness.



"Mr. Giles!," pleaded Tara a few feet behind him. She didn't understand why Willow hadn't come up with Buffy. Did she not make it down to the cavern?



"Stay," he ordered. Sighing, Giles was relieved that the young Wicca obeyed. His trot turned into a run as he saw the flickering light of candles. The first thing he saw was the mass of blood, flesh and bone of the Black Mage. "Willow!" Standing next to the Black Mage, Giles did a sweep of the cavern for any sign of Willow. His eye caught a boot several feet above the ground. Slow and steady, his gaze followed the shape of the boot to a leg. He halted his gaze as he squeezed his eyes shut in denial. "God, no," he whispered. Opening his eyes again, Giles looked up to see Willow. He thought he would be sick.



The Staff of Dragon pinned her upright to a stone pillar.



"Willow?" Giles reached out and touched the redhead's leg. The jeans were cold and wet. He pulled his hand back realizing that it was covered in her blood. It shook as he looked upon her face. Sleeping, he thought. With great care, Giles took hold of the Staff and readied himself to pull it out. There was no way he was going to let any of the others see her like this, and he certainly wasn't going to leave her.



As his hands took hold of the Staff, Giles felt the tingle of an energy flow. It did not try to enter him, only touch. After a few moments, he realized it was getting weaker. Could this energy be Willow? Could she still be alive? Part of him doubted it. He had never heard of someone, let alone one with Willow's build, survive such a wound. Shaking himself from his thoughts, Giles braced his foot and pulled the Staff out of the pillar, out of Willow. Quickly, he tossed it aside to catch Willow. Giles would not allow her body to touch ground in this evil place.



Willow did not move.



Taking a slow breath, Giles took off his coat. He reached for her. Pulling her down into his arms, Giles couldn't hold back a sob. Tenderly, he wrapped his coat around her and lifted her.



"Giles!"



The Watcher turned to see Xander bolting down into the cavern. An odd slurping sound drew his attention to the Black Mage. His eyes widened as he saw the mass rise and take shape.



It gripped the Staff of Dragon and slurred, "This is not over."



Just as Xander swung his axe, the Black Mage disappeared into a dark mist.



"What the -?" Xander looked up to see Giles holding Willow. "Willow?" Xander eyes meet with Giles.



"Xander! Giles!" It was Dawn.



Xander looked back at the entrance as Dawn appeared. He glanced back at Giles then again at Dawn as she approached. With one last look at Giles holding Willow, Xander ran towards Dawn and swept her into a hug. "Dawnster," he whispered.



"Xander? What's going on? Let go. Where's Willow?" Dawn looked past Xander's shoulder. "Giles?" Dawn gripped Xander's coat, her eyes started to water. "Willow?"



Taking a deep breath and a swallow, Giles walked past them.



Dawn looked into Xander's eyes. "Tara."



***

Buffy stood at the cave's entrance, axe in hand. A demon charged her. She swung her axe. The demon's head flew up into the air, and the slayer caught it with one hand. She screamed at the remaining creatures, daring them, wishing for them to attack.



Slowly, they backed away from the enraged slayer.



Buffy took a step forward. "Come on!" she taunted, shaking the dismembered head.



They growled and hissed; but they continued to back into the cover of the forest until they were gone.



"Buffy?" Tara came up beside the slayer. Carefully, she placed a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "They're gone. It's okay."



At Tara's touch, Buffy's body shook as she sobbed. The tears flowed freely as her knees gave out. She felt the warm embrace of Tara's arms around her. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she choked out.



Tara didn't understand why the slayer cried. Holding Buffy, she gazed into the opening of the cave. "Where's Willow?" she whispered in confusion.



As if on que, Giles walked out of the cave, carrying Willow.



It was something Tara did not want to accept she was seeing. The realization came like heat lightening on a summer night. Buffy's rage, Buffy's tears.



Willow was dead.



Giles walked forward slowly. He didn't know what to do, where to go. The car was a half a mile away.



"I'll try to get the car as close as possible." Xander and Dawn move quickly past Giles. "Come on, Dawn."



Dawn let Xander lead her away.



Tara looked down at Buffy. The slayer's eyes were puffy and red.



"I'm sorry," Buffy whimpered as she stood, pulling Tara up with her.



The blonde knew Buffy had tried to save Willow. They had all tried to save her for their own reasons, just as Willow had saved them all from the Black Mage. "I know you did, Buffy." Tara tenderly cupped Buffy's cheek. Slowly, she turned away and stepped toward Giles.



Stopping, Giles knew Tara needed to see Willow. He tried not to watch as she gazed at the motionless face. He tried not to cry as Tara caressed Willow's cheek. He tried not to scream as Tara kissed her.



"Willow," she whispered. "Willow." As the tears started to flow, Tara clung to her lover's body. "Please, please..."



With shaking breaths, Buffy regained control of herself. "I'll go back and get the Staff."



"It's gone," Giles rasped when Buffy started to pass him. At her blank look, he continued, "After I pulled it...from the pillar, I tossed it aside...When Xander showed up, the Black Mage - "



"I chopped him into dog food," hissed the slayer.



"He rose and took the Staff of Dragon with him." Giles bowed his head, unwilling to gaze at the anger in Buffy's eyes and the pain in Tara's gaze.



"What are we going to do? The first time we faced him...We only survived because of Willow." Buffy picked up her axe. The blade was covered in crusty blood and even a little warped.



There were too many demons for Buffy to go after the Black Mage and a mystical candle blocked Willow's and Tara's magicks. Somehow, Willow had managed a teleport spell. That had put Willow in the Black Mage's sights. Now, she was dead, but why?



"Why did he want Willow so badly, Giles?" Buffy looked down at her feet.



"She overcame a binding spell. I imagine he was afraid of her, wanted her power for his own." Giles gazed lovingly upon Willow. Sighing, he said, "As I gripped the Staff, I felt an energy flow towards me, but not merge...It seemed to grow weaker."



Tara looked up at Giles. Tears rolling down her raw cheeks, she couldn't understand why they were talking about this. Willow was dead. "Willow's dead," she whimpered.



"Yes," was all Giles could muster to the young woman. "I believe the Black Mage used the Staff of Dragon to kill her."



"Well, our Will managed to take him down with her," Buffy couldn't keep the pride from her voice. Willow never did anything half way. It was all or nothing.



With guilt, Giles said, "He didn't rise until I tossed the Staff close enough to him."



"Willow is dead!," Tara screamed, gripping her lover's body to her, pulling her out of Giles' arms. Unable to hold the weight, they crumpled to the ground. "She can't be dead." Stroking the hair from Willow's face, Tara rocked them back and forth.



Giles and Buffy were at a loss. What could they do? It was than that Xander and Dawn pulled up in the car.



"Where do we put..." Xander came quietly besides Giles. "I have some blankets in the trunk." It seemed so wrong, so inhuman, but wouldn't having her in the cabin be worse?



Giles simply nodded. Xander stepped away to prepare the trunk. He would make it as comfortable as possible. "Tara." Giles bent down, placed his hand on her shoulder. "Tara, we need to go. You need to let go."



"I can't," she whimpered. I've only just found her, Tara screamed in her head. It's too soon, too soon. "My Willow."

Edited by: ladydameon  at: 10/18/04 7:34 pm

[TemperedCynic]

And so another mistress of angst arrives on the Pens to sweetly rip our hearts out while showing us the meaning of love and loss. This is a wonderful beginning, Lady. I beg thee, pray continue.

---

More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly. Woody Allen (1935 - )

[enternalpharoh]

Great begging i really like it





I hope comes back

[TeesEmmy]

Awww..... how sad. But.... Willow's coming back right?....right?...Right....RIGHT? *nervous laughter*

Please continue.



xoxo

Emms

[ladydameon]

Don't worry everybody. Willow will be coming back....but remember, its the journey not the location that makes it all wonderful.



ladydameon

[marciam]

Lady, wow that was just... wow. I look forward to following you through this journey.



Marcia

[Grimlock72]

The beginning is a little disorienting at first, but thats solved in the flashback at the end (to some degree). Poor Tara, she had indeed just found 'her' Willow (who was indeed sometimes to brave for her own good).



Suprising that Giles appearantly goofed when handling the Staff, of all people I would have expected Giles to know how to destroy the damned thing. Even though I don't know much about that Staff, it killed Willow or at the very least severly hurt her so it's cursed/damned/evil staff by definition. Can I break it ??



I somehow think that this will be a rather angsty story, just a guess of course :-)



Grimmy

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine

[ladydameon]

Chapter Two



"Is she asleep?" Giles asked, carefully setting down his empty teacup. It only took a few hours to turn his life upside down. Tiredly, he rubbed his face.



"Yeah." Buffy flopped in a chair next to Giles. "She didn't stop whimpering until Dawn put on one of Will's shirts and crawled in bed with her." It was the only way to get Tara to calm down long enough to sleep. The slayer didn't realize the intensity of the blonde's emotions and feelings for Willow "I think Dawn kind of needs it too." Buffy knew it wasn't exactly healthy but...



They sat there in relative silence. A grandfather ticked in the living room. Birds sang in the trees.



"She wasn't suppose to die," the slayer rasped. She knew her time would come sooner or later, same with Giles and maybe even Xander or Anya. But Willow was supposed to be the one that would out live them all. Willow was the reliable one, the stable one. A mind could lose focus, sanity. A hand could be broken or crippled. A heart could stop beating or develop irregularities. But the spirit, it goes on forever. If fallen into darkness, a spirit, given enough time, can re-enter the light or at least regain a balance between the light and the dark.



Before Giles could respond, Xander burst into the dinning room. "Giles, Buffy, you have to come downstairs!"



"What? Why?" demanded Buffy. They installed a large chest freezer downstairs a couple of weeks ago. As Xander put it, the freezer could hold a whole side of beef with an assortment of sides dishes and deserts. Willow thought it would be best if they started shopping at Sam's Club, so she "borrowed" her parent's freezer. It wasn't like they were home long enough to use it or put anything in it. Until they could come up with a reasonable story, the Scoobies thought it best to keep Willow on ice. Sure it was morbid as hell to keep her in the freezer, but what were they going to do? Sunnydale had its lion’s share of strange and unique deaths. However, a young woman being impaled would attract a lot of unwanted attention. Each harbored a hidden desire, a hidden wish that she wasn't dead. Although it went unsaid, they believed there was a magickal explanation and possibly a cure.



"Just come." As quick as Xander appeared, he was gone.



Getting up, Giles slowly followed, taking careful steps down the stairs. He observed Anya. She hadn't said a word since they brought Willow back to the house. Now, Anya stood in shock, gazing into the freezer. "Anya?" he asked softly.



"Her body...it's...” She could only point. Once they arrived at the Summer's home, Anya and Xander took the responsibility of moving and settling Willow. Out of a need to say goodbye that she didn't completely understand, Anya had pulled back the blankets. What she found was impossible. The injuries were slowly healing themselves.



Anya blinked a few times as she watched a gash on Willow's forehead slowly and steadily close. Dried blood faded to bruises and then they were gone. Willow's skin returned to its natural warm glow.



Taking a step forward, Giles gazed down and his jaw dropped. "Healing." Quickly, he felt for a pulse. "She has a heartbeat." It took a moment for it all to register. She had a heartbeat. "Xander, quick fix that cot. Anya, go get the first aid kit and boil some water."



"Giles?" The voice was a mixture of dread and hope.



He turned to Buffy. They couldn't bare a false hope, none of them could. "I don't know." It was true. The Watcher had no clue what was going on, but he wasn't going to question it. "Would you?" he asked motioning to the cot.



The slayer nodded. With caution, she reached in and lifted her best friend out of the freezer. Placing Willow on the cot, Buffy brushed back a few strands of hair. The flesh was warm to the touch. "Shouldn't we take her to the hospital?" Buffy thought how young Willow always looked as she slept. "Mom always liked you," she whispered.



"No, not with the magickal healing," he supplied lost in his own thoughts. His brain listed off the various books for research. There would be lots of research.



"What do we tell Dawn and Tara?"



"Right now, nothing." He sighed. "When they wake up, we tell them what we know."



Buffy nodded. It was good enough for the moment, just for the moment.



Anya thundered down the steps, arms full of various medical supplies. "Move," she snapped. "She needs to be cleaned up." Anya started to unwrap the dirt and blood stained blankets. "You should go research this, find out why this is happening. Tara will have questions." When everyone failed to move, she annoyingly added, "I'm going to clean her up. Buffy has no medical no-how besides applying brightly colored band-aids. Tara and Dawn are too emotionally distraught to do it, and you two shouldn't see her naked. Xander should only see me naked." After a beat, she mumbled, "She wouldn't feel comfortable."



Being taken by surprise, the three made their way back up to the kitchen. A few minutes passed and Xander clapped his hands together. "So, where do we start?"



Taking off his glasses, Giles leaned against the island. "I would say we research the Black Mage, but most importantly, we find out all we can about the Staff of Dragon."



"When Dawn wakes up, I can see if she could use Will's laptop to search online for stuff." Buffy slid on a bar stool at the island.



***



At the sound of footsteps, a sleepy Buffy looked up from her book to see Dawn. The teen smiled weakly as she joined her sister at the dining room table.



"What's going on?" she asked softly. Everything still seemed too surreal, even for the Scooby life.



Buffy took Dawn's hand. With a squeeze, she said, "Oh, just researching the Black Mage and the Staff of Dragon." The next part was going to be hard. Clearing her throat, Buffy took a deep breath. "Also, why Willow's body is healing itself."



Dawn's eyes snapped to her sisters. "What?"



Taking Dawn's hand in both of hers, Buffy nodded. "Anya was the first to notice it. Giles confirmed it. Xander is researching the Staff of Dragon. I'm looking into the Black Mage. We need you to use Willow's laptop and search for stuff online-."



"I'm not as good-."



Tenderly, Buffy brushed a piece of hair out of Dawn's face. "We need you to try."



"Can I see her?"



The slayer wasn't sure if it was the right thing. Wouldn't she want to see her? Certainly, Tara would demand to see Willow.



"Please?" It was a plea. At Buffy's nod, Dawn rose from the table, still holding her sister's hand. This wasn’t a task the teenager wanted but needed. Dawn needed to see Willow for her self. She needed to believe there was still good and light in the world.



"Where is she?"



Both Dawn and Buffy jerked to see Tara standing at the base of the stairs. A hand gripped the wall for support. Her red and swollen eyes blinked slowly.



Buffy stood. Releasing Dawn's hand, she walked slowly towards Tara. The blonde wiccan looked as if she would bolt at any moment. "Tara, I need you to listen to me." At the blank look, Buffy continued, "While Anya and Xander were...setting things up, Anya noticed that Willow's body was...healing itself."



With a ragged breath, Tara leaned onto the wall. This could mean anything. "Willow," she whispered.



Dawn watched with an uncertain gaze. Her hands gripped the back of her chair. "We'll find out why and how Tara."



Tara looked over at Dawn and gave a weak smile. Yes, they would find out. Bowing her head, she asked, "Can I see her?"



From this point, everything moved so slowly in Buffy's mind. She felt as if she was moving, seeing from underwater. Each step seemed to take every ounce of her slayer strength. Leading Tara and Dawn to the basement steps, Buffy wasn't convinced if it was a good idea. Yet, how could she keep Tara from her Willow? Wouldn't she hold the same desire herself if Buffy were in Tara's position?



It was all too much for Tara. Buffy was moving too slowly. Her love was alive. Alive. The blonde weaved passed Buffy, skipped down the steps. At the base of the stairs, she halted, taking in the sight before her.



Willow lay on the cot, bundled in blankets on the far wall.



In three steps, Tara was on her knees next to Willow. "Oh Willow." She kissed Willow's cheek, stroked her hair. "I love you, baby." Tears rolled down Tara's cheeks as her nose nuzzled soft, warm flesh. Her lips kissed the steady heartbeat of various pulse points. "Come back to me," she whispered.



Slowly, Tara pulled away from the body before her. It was Willow, yet not. This body was Willow but....



"Something's wrong," Tara rasped.



Buffy knelt beside the blonde. "What do you mean? It looks like Will to me." Carefully, the slayer placed a hand on Tara's shoulder.



Keeping a hand on the redhead's body, Tara spoke in a hushed whisper as if afraid to wake her sleeping love. "When I'm with her or n-near her, I feel her and she f-feels me. We're drawn to each other...I should ha-have felt her when I woke. I should have sensed her as I came d-down the stairs. As I touched her, I felt noth-nothing." This was a cruel fate to have the body of her love but not... Not what? Tara gazed at her hand lying over the pale, freckled skin of Willow. Unable to hold under the strain, Tara allowed the tears to flow once again for her lost love.



Torn, Buffy wrapped protective arms around the witch. These turn of events were an expected false hope. Another, the slayer knew would destroy Tara and even herself. Looking up at Dawn, Buffy asked, "Would you go tell, Giles?"



Nodding, Dawn scrambled up the stairs. She felt numb, needed answers. Maybe

Giles could fill in some of the blanks.



***



“Giles!” called Dawn as she scrambled up the stairs.



“What? What is it?” He met Dawn in the dining room. “Are you alright?”



“I’m fine, but Tara – Tara said something is wrong with Willow.” Dawn’s brow knitted together as she thought about what to say next. “She said she couldn’t feel her.”



“Oh dear.” He took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.



“What? What does this mean?” Dawn asked in a rush. This was not a time for “oh dear” from Giles.



Focusing, Giles looked directly into Dawn’s eyes. “It means we get moving with the research.”



The watcher quickly dispatched the Scoobies. Xander and Dawn were assigned the Staff of Dragon. Xander hit the books. Dawn surfed the Internet. Buffy informed everyone she would research the Black Mage. Anya ventured into the demon side of town for answers while Giles called up some old friends. They had two hours.



Tara stayed by Willow’s side, lost in her own mission to find her lover.



***



"What did you find out about the Black Mage, Buffy?" Giles stood in the center of the living room. It felt strange to be conducting a Scooby meeting in the Summer's home. After all, everyone had been traipsing in and out of his apartment all hours of the night.



Sighing, Buffy tossed her notes onto the coffee table. She had this guy's known life history memorized. Best to know the enemy. Best to know how to kick his ass, she thought. "He's been around for a few centuries, very big on the black magicks. A few journals talk about his obsession over something called the Icon. I looked into it but everybody says the same thing. No one knows what it is or what it does."



"It’s believed that the Icon is a book," supplied Anya. "I didn't find out much about it either. All the demons I talked to kind of ran away as soon as I mentioned the Black Mage or the Staff of Dragon." The ex-demon looked down at her hands. She had something else to say, but didn't know how.



Giles moved the meeting along. "Xander, Dawn, what did you find out about the Staff?"



"Well," Xander sighed glancing at Dawn. "We found out the power of the Staff."



Dawn cut in, reading from her notes. "With hate, it takes power from those impaled."



"Impaled? You mean like driven through?" Buffy fought away the images of Willow pinned onto the stone pillar. At Dawn's nod, the slayer shifted in her seat.



With a cough, Xander clasped his hands together. "The journals talked about how various people used the Staff to take the powers from animals, demons, angels, various mystical creatures of legend. Yet, no one was successful in receiving the powers from the Staff...Um, most of those guys met a very ugly death."



"So, the Black Mage, he used the Staff to take Will's powers?" Buffy stood up and started to pace.



Giles removed his glasses. "Perhaps, but I'm going to say he...impaled Willow out of rage. I don't think he had any need for her magickal essence."



"She's a lot more powerful than any of you realize. Did you forget about the binding spell?" Anya finally broke out of her shell. When all eyes were on her, she continued, "I had a visit from D'Hoffryn on the way back. He told me to drop this..."



"Drop what?" insisted Buffy.



"What we're doing - leave, forget about all of this."



"Ahn, we can't-"



Anya cut Xander off. "I know. I told him that Willow and I didn't always get along but we needed to help her because she was our friend. I told him that Willow and I had worked out our issues - for the most part." She smiled at Xander.



Xander smiled and patted her knee. One needs to praise even the smallest of steps.



"Did he say anything else, Anya?" Giles knew there was more.



"Oh, just that saving Willow could do more harm than good."



"What?" Buffy moved to grab Anya and shake her, but Giles stopped her.



The slayer's movements were not lost on the ex-demon. "He said that there was a way to return her soul but - "



"Her soul?" Giles hadn't thought that the Staff would take the soul. "Of course, a human's power is in the soul because all of those other creatures don't have one."



"Exactly and according to D'Hoffryn, Willow's soul is the first taken by the Staff of Dragon."



"Did he mention how to get Willow out of the staff?" Dawn shifted. This was all getting very complicated.



"With love, it gives power to those impaled," quoted Anya.



"Oh dear," Giles sat down.



"What?" Buffy looked from Anya to Giles. "What?"



"D'Hoffryn thinks that all the power within the Staff of Dragon will be released into Willow."



Anya gave a sad nod.



This wasn't just about saving a friend anymore. It was about changing a friend, changing the world.



"If we release Willow, she will have the power currently contained in the Staff. If we leave things as they are, Willow's soul will be trapped in the Staff until someone releases the powers."



"Wait, what do you mean her soul will be trapped? And what would happen if someone else releases the Staff's power?" Dawn was starting to connect the dots, and she didn’t like the picture.



"It means that Willow will never know an afterlife." Anya found that fate to be worse than going to hell. "D'Hoffryn wasn't even sure the Staff held any power."



"Couldn't we tell if Willow was in it if we had it?" Buffy didn't know what to do with herself. She wondered around the living room picking up this, moving that. "I mean wouldn't Tara be able to feel or sense Will?"



"Maybe." Giles found himself in a very difficult position. His young charges would go head first into saving their friend but was it the best thing? "We need to stop and think-"



"No." Buffy moved in front of Giles. "We will not leave Willow's soul in some evil object for some bad ass to use against us or anyone else." She stopped for a moment, gazing around the room. "We can't leave her alone." Her eyes met Xander.



He nodded. "She's been alone long enough. We won't leave Willow where she can't find peace. At the very least, we need to find a way of releasing her soul." Xander took Anya's hand. "Did he say anything else?"



Anya shook her head. "This is all confusing. I know I should take what D'Hoffryn said seriously but... We need to help Willow."

ladydameon

----------------

Goddess of Violence

[Washi]

I was all happy at first, and then not so happy, and then depressed. Great update, you switch emotions like you switch hats (if u have many hats). I'm not making any sense, but I loved it muchly.

-------------------



"See? I've mastered this tact crap." Anya in Tears Of The Goddess by Lisa



The course of love doesn’t always run smooth, especially for the neurotic and accident-prone. ~ LadyB



.:Dark-bliss.net :. .:Blink.Flash.Sparkle.:. .:My blog:. .:Blood and Ink:. .:Washi's 70s Site:.

[Aine]

i really enjoy this story. my heart broke when willow died. but this is a w/t story so willow at least has to be okay in the end....right? *puppy eyes* well i hope you write more soon.





stace

[xeembiote]

more please

[Devashu]

This is great!

I'm not an addict (maybe that's a lie)]

[marciam]

Lady,

Wonderful update. Very angsty and I can't wait for more. Especially when Willow gets better... she gets better right? right???



Marcia

[ladydameon]

Sorry that it took me so long to do this.....but you know, I was working on chapter two.



OK....



TemperedCynic:

We can't have you begging. Thus, I shall continue. Although, you may not always enjoy the journey...but what a fun journey it shall be!!





enternalpharoh:

This is what I'm talking about - positive reinforcement! You want more story...Keep it coming.





TeesEmmy:

Do you want Willow to come back? Oh, she'll come back but you may not like it....





marciam:

I'm glad you are enjoying the ride! Thanks for all your help.





Grimlock72:

Yeah, I know the story seems disjointed, but I wanted it to be...I wanted the reader tossed into the action and pain from the beginning. Don't worry the events leading to will all be explained in detail.



I allowed Giles to goof - to show he doesn't always have his head on straight. Just wanted to see if I could get away with a Giles flying by the seat of his pants, have him off a bit before he regains his balance and insight.



No, you can't break the Staff. I'll leave that to Tara.





Washi:

Welcome to the wild ride which is my brain!!



I know the story moves quick and you switch emotions like you switch gears in a car...but...makes for a fun ride. Doesn't it?





Aine:

I'm happy you are enjoying the tale.



Yes, it broke my heart to when Willow was found....However, I always end up hurting the character I love the most....And don't worry, Willow will be back...





xeembiote:

How can I say no to such a polite request?





Devashu:

Careful, don't want my ego to get TOO swollen.





marciam:

Is this angst? Huh, never thought I could write that...



Do you want Willow to get better?

ladydameon

----------------

Goddess of Violence

Edited by: ladydameon  at: 3/31/04 5:43 am

[Grimlock72]

I'm all for saving Willow, but with caution please. They don't even know if Willow can contain the forces that might get into her from the staff. Would do little good to get Willow back to life and then witness her magical meltdown due to overload.



It would be verrrry usefull to be able to talk to Willow's spirit somehow. Maybe Tara can look into that, will keep her busy with not-immediatly-restoring-Willow things as well, which is good. Only got one Willow around, can't mess up with her



All those theories about the staff are nice and cute but they don't really explain why Willow's body would heal itself. After all, if it can do that who's to say Willow won't pretty much resurrect herself..so to speak ?



I wonder if that dark magic can be channeled out of the staff safely. Bit like lightning, don't like using Willow to store such amount of evil stuff. Can't be much fun to be resurrected with that in you, the scoobies would do well to think things true before rushing to action.



Oh yeah, about Giles claiming mr. Dark wizzard didn't need Willow's power.... he might indeed not have needed it but it sure bothered him. Enough to impale Willow, grrr...



Still a bit miffed at Giles basicly undoing what Willow died for...



Grimmy

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine

[barnabasvamp]

Well, I just got a chance to read your fic and I must say I'm hooked.



Interesting that Willow's soul is trapped, along with any other power that may be in the staff. Now they just have to find someone to release the power so they can save Willow!



Look forward to more.



BV

It's the passion in a kiss that gives to it its sweetness; it is the affection in a kiss that sanctifies it.

[Mikaelah Braenna]

Hey Sarah ...



Usually I avoid angst fics ... I do not like having my heart ripped out ... however ... you have me hooked to yours...

Hopefully... it has a happy ending though ... update soon, please?



~Mikaelah

Willow: "Where would you go? If you felt lost and alone? ..."

Tara: "To You..."

~~Truly and Forever~~

Edited by: Mikaelah Braenna at: 4/1/04 8:18 pm

[Red Jassy]

hi

i like angst.. it makes the fic more realistic or should i say dramatic makes the readers long for the end.. very nice indeed

great start willow dies..

but then yay! at least her body is healing.. and aww.. poor willow's soul..

sad but i still like it.

joan

---

Cause you were made for me/Somehow I'll make you see/How happy you make me

/I can't live this life/Without you by my side/I need you to survive/ So stay with me/
You look in my eyes and I'm screaming inside/]that I'm sorry. » Evanescence

[ladydameon]

Feedback Review:



Grimmy:

Yeah, I know how you feel about Giles but I think the man has to hit an emotional wall every once in a while. He can't always be Mr. Calm-Knowledge-Guy. Look at what he did when Jenny was killed by Angel. As for Tara, I think the next few chapters will answer a lot of questions....Thanks for your feedback!!



BV:

Willow's on her way to freedom but will that freedom be better or worse for her, for Tara and the other Scoobies...



Mikaelah:

Hope you stay hooked!



Red Jessy:

It won't be sad forever.



_________________________________________________





Chapter Three



"So, we find the Black Mage, we find the Staff, we find Willow."



All eyes turned to a tired yet very determined Tara. Slowly, the blonde walked into the living room from the entryway, holding a slightly crumbled piece of paper out to Buffy. "This is where the Black Mage is hiding."



Quickly, the Slayer took the paper and gave a firm nod. She didn't stop to consider the paper's obvious discolorations.



"Wait, you can’t just go in and take it," insisted Giles as he stood. This was a fool’s mission, a suicide. "We barely survived the first encounter." The Watcher had a myriad of questions for the young witch, but first, he needed to stall Buffy.



Sharply, Tara locked eyes with the Watcher. "Now is the perfect time for Buffy to grab the Staff." Turning back to the Slayer, she continued, "You can’t take him, Buffy. Even in his current state, he has too much power, but I know you can sneak away with the Staff. It’s the Staff we want." It was the Staff Tara needed.



"Alright, Xander, are you up to being my wheel man?" The Slayer coined a sly grin.



"You know it!" Xander hopped up, grabbed his coat. "Just tell me where you want to go...."



"Now hold on." Giles now stood by the front door, arms crossed. "I know it would be futile to try and stop you...."



"Yes, it would." Buffy stood surrounded by her friends, hands on hips. "I know you think we are being reckless, but we need to act. There is no telling what Willow is going through trapped inside that Staff."



Taking a deep breath, Giles nodded, a placid expression on his face. "Just be careful. I suppose while you retrieve the Staff we could do more research...."



Without hesitation, the ex-demon rose and stood next to Xander. "I'm going to go with you. Someone has to make sure you don't screw up." She would never admit it, but Anya was worried. If something was going to go down, she wanted to be next to Xander whenever anything happened.



Buffy hurried to the weapons chest, removed several short swords and an axe. "We'll go now. Do a quick recon. Sneak inside and grab the Staff of Dragon."



"Right," nodded Xander and Anya.



"Xander will stay with the car. Anya will find a good lookout point." Buffy tossed the ex-demon a pair of binoculars. "This is going to be quick. No unnecessary confrontations."



"Check."



After another quick glance over her chosen weapons, Buffy looked at Giles. "I need you to watch over things here."



Giles knew what Buffy was asking, what Buffy needed him to do for her. Her eyes pleaded for him to protect her family. Since Joyce's death, the Slayer had strove to care for Dawn without fail, and she had grown more dependent of Willow's companionship. Dawn being hunted by a hell god was enough strain at the moment. Giles did not wish to contemplate what would happen to Buffy and the rest of the Scoobies if Willow could not be saved.



With a gentle nod, Giles stood to the side, allowing the trio to pass. He watched them as they climbed into the jeep. Once they pulled out of the drive, he turned a steely gaze towards Tara. "Dawn, would you go sit with Willow for a while?"



The teenager knew it was an order. She gathered the laptop and a few books. With one quick glance to Tara, Dawn disappeared down into the basement.



By this time, Tara could not bear to stand any longer. She carefully sat herself on the sofa and waited. Once Dawn was sent away, Tara spoke, "Mr. Giles, this has to be done."



Of all the Scoobies, Giles found Tara to be the most responsible and levelheaded. She was indeed a perfect counterpart for Willow. "I'm not going to argue that point with you, Tara. However, I am going to ask you why you didn't inform the rest of us? A locator spell in general is fine and I am quite sure below your normal capabilities. Yet for you to locate someone like the Black Mage with out a shield...."



"I know," she whispered. By the goddess, Tara knew the risk. She gazed across the living room with blank eyes.



Clearing his throat, Giles asked, "How did you know Willow's soul was in the Staff? You weren't here when Anya shared that bit of information." He watched her carefully. Giles wanted to hear her answers, but he wasn't going to fight her for them.



"I just knew. You said you felt something from the Staff and I didn't feel anything from Willow." Licking her lips, Tara turned towards Giles. "We can research all that you want, but something needed to be done, Mr. Giles. The longer we waited...." She let her voice trail off. This was a point that could go unsaid. As the Scoobies sat around, they became more impulsive and rash. Buffy needed to take action. Xander needed to feel useful. Giles needed to know what, when, where, who and why.



Everyone had been shaken to an already weakened core. The death of Joyce Summers hit the group hard. Yet, they pulled together to support one another. A hell god's hunt for Dawn strained the Scoobies' resolve and resources, but they were managing.



Resting his palms on his knees, Giles leaned forward. "Dawn can look into why and how Willow's body is healing itself. I think you should concentrate on spirit and or soul transference. How much of Anya's report did you hear?"



Tara looked at her hands. "Enough to understand we may not be able to bring her back." The words choked on themselves.



"Tara." Giles lifted her chin, looked her in the eye. "We will do everything in our power to bring Willow back to us, to you. However, we need to be very careful not only for the world's sake but Willow's."



With a weak smile, Tara rose, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. "I'll go sit with Dawn and Willow." She knew that the Scoobies would do everything in their power to help Willow, but would she? For the first time, Tara felt the desire to go against all of her teachings, to go against nature.



As if sensing Tara's inner dialogue, Giles called, "You're doing everything that you can, Tara." He wasn't quite sure what alerted him to the shift in Tara, but Giles knew her thoughts needed to be derailed. "Willow is going to need you as you are when this is all said and done."



***



The trio rode in silence.



"This feels weird." Anya hugged herself and slouched down into her seat. She quickly looked at Xander in the rear view mirror. Their eyes locked and Xander gave Anya a small smile. Returning the smile, Anya gazed out the window. Everything was so confusing! Sure, she and Willow didn't really get along, but so what.



Xander took a slow breath as he concentrated on the road. Anya was right. This did feel weird. Everything had been so loopy lately. Riley. Dawn. Glory. Joyce. It was slowly becoming too much to handle. When was it going to stop? Who was going to make it stop? For that matter, who started this whole mess? How did they get into this mess?



The Black Mage rolled into town looking for the Staff of Dragon, as a soon-to-be-dust vampire told Buffy. Being ever the good Slayer, Buffy told Giles. Giles, being the good Watcher, did some research and found out that the Staff of Dragon was powerful. The Black Mage was evil and had to be stopped. Buffy and Giles agreed to find the Staff first.



Xander paused in his mantel re-cap and wiped at his face.



Buffy snuck a glance at Xander. He was crying, but she could offer him no support, no comfort. She thought it best to let everyone drift in his or her own thoughts.



Giles and she decided to find the Staff first, before the Black Mage. She decided that they should all go in together--full force. Tara had questioned the wisdom of that plan, but it was Willow who made an issue out of it. She scolded Willow, said some hurtful things. Willow turned to Giles. Giles faltered, delayed his answer. She put her foot down. They all followed. They barely escaped. The Black Mage had the Staff.



***



"Oh, oh." Dawn scrolled down a web page. "I think I found something.... Willow had some druidic links--among other things, and on this one page, it talks about the essence of magick."



"Druid?" Giles took his glasses off, cast a glance towards Tara.



With a shrug, Tara smiled, "She's been looking into . . . the cultural and holistic manifestations and soci-economical cause and effect of magick." At Dawn's look of utter confusion, Tara shook her head. "It keeps her away from the dark art books."



"Yes, well." Giles cleared his throat. "There are those who would frown upon Willow's application of western norms to the mystic."



Tara smiled. With great tenderness, she brushed a stray piece of hair from Willow's cheek. "She’s just trying to find her way." After a beat, she added, "I don't think Wiccan is the path for her. She's interested but I think...."



Breaking the silence, Dawn redirected the conversation. "Like I was saying, this site talks about the essence of magick. It says stuff like . . . after so long, a caster's body develops a magickal build-up...."



"Of course," smiled Giles. "Willow has been casting for about two years now."



"But that wouldn't be enough." Tara was following Giles reasoning but she didn't think his theory applied. At least, she didn't think the magick build-up was at the point required to heal a mortal wound. "Willow is talented and growing in power, but there is no way she could ascend to the level required for this in such a short time." Tara swept her hand over the redhead's midsection.



Nodding, Giles leaned back in his chair. "You're right." He paused his thoughts. Tara gave a puzzled look towards her hand above Willow's abdomen. "What is it?"



"What is the Staff made out of?" asked Tara.



"Wood," answered Dawn. She knew all about the Staff.



Tara looked into Giles eyes. "Wood splinters?"



A slow smile crept across the watcher's face. "That's it! The Staff left splinters in the wound, most likely from when I pulled it out. With the magickal build-up and the energies contained in the splinters, Willow's body was able to heal itself!" Giles hopped up from his seat. Starting to pace, he talked to himself. "So, this would mean that on some level, the Staff and Willow are already connected. It may actually make our job of transferring her soul easier."



***



The first sweep around the old warehouse showed two points of entry. Two extremely large guys decked out in black robes with very large pole axes guarded the front door. She wasn't going that way. The second entrance was a fire-escape ladder from the roof. Buffy almost decided to go for it until she saw another large guy making rounds.



Hunched in a hedge of bushes, Buffy considered a diversion when she noticed a small cracked window. It was completely camouflaged behind a massive bed of weeds. If she barely noticed it, maybe nobody else knew about it. That would be her point of entry. Quickly, the slayer looked up to the roof. This had to be timed just right....



She bolted from her cover to the mass of weeds, cutting herself on thorns. Quickly, Buffy looked into the window. It was dark but better yet, there was no activity. She slipped inside. With no floor plan or idea where the Staff might be, Buffy had to take this slow. This was no video game, no cheats or extra lives to play if she failed. And failure was never an option for Buffy Summers.



***



Buffy was making pretty good time and collected a nice chunk of information. Last night, she had killed half of the Black Mage's demon army. Most of those left had remained with the Mage; however, a handful had disserted.



"Thanks for small favors," Buffy thought as she pulled herself up onto wood rafters. The warehouse was completely open--aside from a series of support pillars and the rafters she used to now move across. A direct assault would not have been a good idea.



Just like the cave, the walls were a inky blue-black with candles hanging from the walls and pillars. Outside, Buffy saw large windows that should have filled the warehouse with light. No light penetrated. The flickering from the candles cast their glow only a few feet before being overtaken by the dark abyss. As a guard walked past a candle, Buffy saw dust swirl from his footsteps. She smiled. The floor was covered in grey soot just like the cave.



However, Buffy knew not to take the cover of darkness for granted. These creatures were not at the battle last night. They could see in the dark or have heat-sensing abilities. Slowly, she pulled her way across the rough rafters. Stopping to pull a splinter from her palm, Buffy wished she'd wore gloves. As if by chance, the slayer looked down and saw a door. Her eyes moved up from the door. She strained to see if a wall continued to the ceiling. It was impossible to tell.



Finally, Buffy was almost above the door and she saw a faint red glow. The room had no ceiling. She peered over the edge. The red light came from large lamps on iron pillars. A row of pillars flanked each side of an aisle running from the door to an altar. She squinted, the Staff had to be around there somewhere....



It was no use. Buffy was going to have to drop down in order to get a better look. Casting a quick glance to the guard in the main room, she hopped down into the altar room.



With soft, careful steps, the slayer made her way within the shadows along the wall towards the altar. Even if the room appeared empty, Buffy wasn't going to take any chances unless she absolutely had to. Normally, she would just barrel in with a bag of tricks and trash the place. But this was no nest of vampires, and there was absolutely no room for error. Buffy Summers was not going to lose her best friend because of her stupid behavior.



SLAM!



Buffy smashed herself flat against the wall. Her eyes darted to the main entrance, the only entrance. She watched holding her breath as a robed figured moved briskly towards the altar with the Staff in hand.



"Damn," she muttered. Buffy clamped a hand over her mouth. She has inhaled some dust and it tickled her throat.



"Master?" A short demon trailed behind the robed figure. He seemed to be a cross between a fox and a man. His speech was slurred by the drool falling from his jaws. "My Mage, it is only a matter of time before you gain the power of the Staff."



"Yes," hissed the Black Mage. "I can feel its power radiating."



"Perhaps the witch?" snarled the fox demon.



The Black Mage held the Staff in both hands and gazed at it intently. As he placed it on the altar, he spoke as if in awe, "She was no witch." Turning, the Mage looked down at his companion. "Come, there is nothing else left here for us. Start preparations to leave Sunnydale."



"Yes, Master." The Fox-man nodded before he shuffled away, his tongue hanging out to one side, swinging as he moved.



Buffy was fighting the urge to cough. She wanted to claw at her throat as her face flushed from heat. Slowly, the Mage turned to leave. Buffy squeezed her eyes shut, mentally willing him to move a little faster.



Once the chamber doors clicked shut, Buffy stayed still for a minute and coughed before continuing to the altar. She jumped from the wall to behind a pillar. For a moment, the slayer strained her hearing. Satisfied that no one was near or heard her cough, Buffy made her move. She bolted forward, grabbed the Staff and dived for the safety of the shadows.



Time was of the essence now. The easiest way out would be the same way she got into the warehouse.



***



Anya sighed with relief when she saw Buffy exit the building with the Staff. The ex-demon felt even more relaxed when nothing followed the Slayer. Once Buffy was half way towards the car, Anya climbed down from her post.



"Start the car, Xander. Buffy is on her way." Anya hopped into the passenger seat.



No sooner did Xander get the jeep started, Buffy jumped in the back, slammed the door and ordered, "Drive Xander! I don't know how long we have until they notice it's missing."



"Any problems?" Xander gazed at Buffy's reflection in the rear view mirror.



"No, everyone is too busy getting ready to relocate." Buffy gazed at the Staff. "It looks different," mumbled the slayer. The Staff seemed to cast a red hue.



"You're right. It looks more red." Quickly, Anya pulled out her cell phone. "We have it. We're on our way."



Xander pressed on the gas a little harder.



***



The jeep wasn't even pulled into the driveway when Buffy opened her door. She dashed out of the moving vehicle as soon as it was stopped in the drive. As Dawn opened the front door, Buffy hurried in and down to the basement.



"I don't know how long we have...."



"Quickly," instructed Giles. "Toss Tara the Staff."



Buffy turned to see the blonde Wiccan kneeling beside Willow. Carefully, she tossed the Staff to her. As soon as Tara gripped the Staff, she was no longer in the Summers' basement. Tara wasn't even sure she was in Sunnydale.



"Oh." She gazed around seeing nothing but black.



TBC....



Feedback means I write more quickly....more feedback, more chapters....You do the math!!!

ladydameon

----------------

Goddess of Violence

[DarkChild]

Ooh! I like! Please update soon! I need to know what happened! What's going on with the staff?

"Death cannot stop true love. It can only delay it."

The Princess Bride

[justin]

This is definitely a great story



I'm curious about how they're going to restore Willow's soul without causing some sort of magical explosion.



Looking forward to more

"VOOM"?!? Mate, this bird wouldn't "voom" if you put four million volts through it! 'E's bleedin' demised! - The Parrot Sketch

[WickedReds]

Great story... i was sad to see willow dead... but by the look of things they may get her back... i hope.



-reds



my banana dances for smut

Tara in a wet shirt, Tara in a wet shirt. Tara in. A. Wet. Shirt. “Of course.”-Willow From Remember to Breath By Yellow Crayon



Now that just sucks- me

[ladydameon]

I'm on a roll - what type of bread, I'm not for sure, but homemade bread is nice.



---------------------------------------------



Chapter Four



"What was that," she mumbled rubbing her eyes. Blinking a few times, she looked around and found herself no longer in the Summers' basement. "Where?" All around her laid piles of inky darkness; yet, she was not afraid. Slowly standing, Tara watched as a pale light blossomed down onto her. The blonde moved her gaze to the floor and found herself standing within a tiled circle. Best not to leave the circle, Tara thought.



"You are wise, little one." A deep male voice weaved itself out of the dark as a whisper. Was it coming from inside her head? "You should not fear me." The voice sounded as if it was moving around the circle, moving closer to Tara. "I know why you have come." He stopped at Tara's right. "You have come for your tree." Turning, she saw the owner of the voice come into the light.



He was a Dragon--a very large Dragon.



By instinct, Tara took a step backwards. "Careful, Wiccan." Something touched her, pushing Tara gently back into the center of the circle. "If you wish to leave, do not pass the circle," the Dragon instructed. Squinting, Tara started to trace out the shape of the Dragon. She swallowed, realizing that the Dragon had surrounded her with his massive body. Okay, the blonde thought, it makes sense that there's a Dragon in the Staff of Dragon.



Yet, she felt no fear.



The Dragon moved its head to the edge of the circle. A large, cat-like, yellowish green eye was now level with Tara's gaze. "I am the keeper."



Tara swallowed. She saw over half of herself reflected in that eye. "Y-you are the power of the Staff?"



"No, the Staff holds its own power. I act to protect that power and the power absorbed by it." The Dragon's eye seemed to shimmer, seemed to shift in color. He took a slow breath. "Her soul is the first. It penetrates everything. Soon, your tree will be one with the Staff, one with me."



"No," rasped Tara. "You must know how she was taken. You must know that she didn't want the power from the Staff."



"But she wants power. She has power." He pulled his head back into the darkness. Tara felt a gush of warm air over her head. When the Dragon spoke again his voice seemed softer, more female. "Leave, Child, leave us to our fate." A pause. "There is no body to which the soul can return."



Tara couldn't see the Dragon anymore. She couldn't tell where its massive body lurked in the darkness. Her voice cracked as she spoke, "Willow's body lives." Waiting for a response, Tara turned around. "Please, there most be a way...."



"Impossible." The Dragon's voice was definitely female now. "The body dies upon the removal of the soul."



For the first time since this entire situation with the Black Mage started, Tara felt like she was getting somewhere--where, exactly, was another story. However, there still might be a chance to save Willow, to allow her soul an afterlife. "The Staff left splinters in the wound."



The Dragon roared or screamed, Tara couldn't really tell. "The body is a husk. Return and burn it."



Before Tara knew it, she screamed, "No, I will not!"



Tara felt something move within the Dragon. When she spoke, her voice was almost soothing. "This can not be undone, nor can this continue." Tara blinked as the voice shifted again. It was Willow speaking to her now. "The power within the Staff has been compromised by the splinters in our body. Those splinters will allow an alternate access point to the powers hidden here. Our body will become a tool."



Hearing her lover's voice, Tara felt drawn into the darkness. She started to take a step, but the Dragon brought her head into view again. "Do not leave the circle." Tara shivered at the sound of the voice. She wanted to weep, wanted to scream. Once again, Tara gazed into the Dragon's eyes only to see the green she knew all too well.



"Willow?" Tara whispered.



The Dragon sighed. Laying her head onto the tile floor, she spoke, "She fights for you even as it becomes impossible to determine where she ends and I begin. You must understand, we cannot leave the powers unprotected. We made a promise."



After a few moments of silence, Tara asked, "Why can't this continue? What promise?"



Slowly, the Dragon lifted her head. "The Phoenix can awaken me...." Almost in rage, the Dragon tossed her head back. "Why must you ask so many questions? Just do as I say." She snarled again pulling back into the darkness.



Tara cried out, "Willow!" The blonde felt the presence of her lover. She knew Willow was fighting to gain control, to give Tara a message. "I know you're here, Baby."



"T-Tara?" That was Willow, Tara was certain and the voice was from the darkness, not her head. Forgetting herself, Tara took a step forward. "No. Stop--the circle." The blonde jumped back to the center of the tiled circle. "So many thoughts...."



"Willow, what's going on?" Tara reached out for her love.



"The Dragon." Her voice was come closer. "I am the Dragon." Willow was holding her head as she stepped into sight. "Too much going on." Still gripping her hair, Willow looked up with pleading eyes. "You need to go. You can't stay here."



"I'm not leaving you." The desire to hold her was becoming unbearable. Tara watched as Willow clutched her stomach, falling to her knees. Quickly, Tara knelt at the edge of the circle and stretched out her hand. "Sweetie." Despite everything, Willow moved and took Tara's hand. "It'll be okay, Will. We'll find a way."



Breathing heavy, Willow shook her head. "No, this can't be controlled. I can't control it." She whimpered, dropping her head. "He couldn't control it. He was dying that’s why--that’s why he asked the Dragon." Tara waited somehow she knew this was important. "Others couldn't be trusted. The wizard thought he had found someone but he was no good...." When the blonde gazed into her lover’s eyes, she saw the yellow-green of the Dragon. "The Samarian wizard came to me, told me his plight and I saw the wisdom of his words. His magick was strong. He drained his powers into the Staff. I burned his body."



Tara reached out with her other hand to cup Willow's cheek. All thoughts disappeared as Tara watched Willow's body fade in and out. "What's happening?" A cracking sound trailed around them inside the darkness.



Once again, Willow's green eyes returned as she looked around; saw what Tara could not. "The Staff is breaking. It was never meant to hold the full essence of a Dragon." A slow blink returned the Dragon's eyes. "The magicks of the Staff will return to nature." Both stood up together. Tara never let go of Willow's hand. "You must leave now." Dragon-eyed Willow pulled her hand from Tara. "This can not be undone."



"Wait." Something clicked in Tara. "The magick will return to nature? What if there is a magickal convergence nearby? A Hellmouth?"" Steadily, the cracking grew louder.



The mention of the Hellmouth grabbed the Dragon's attention. "The magicks will be drawn there...I can not tell you anymore."



The light slowly dimmed. "What will happen to you?" Time was running out. Tara hoped she had learned enough to save Willow.



"Nothing." Willow stepped back into the darkness. "Please, just go. Destroy the body. Get the Staff as far from the Hellmouth as possible."



Over the angry cracking, Tara shouted, "I'll save you! We'll save you, Willow!" Again, she was enveloped in an inky darkness, but the cracking had stopped. Warm arms wrapped themselves around her. Tara returned the embrace. "I love you, Willow," she whispered.



"I love you, Tara."



Tara let the tears roll down her cheeks. Was this to be the last moment with her lover? "There has to be a way." Fingertips traced her face. Tara's mouth sought to kiss each of them. Her heart fluttered as her Willow kissed her. Tara melted into the body she knew so well, so absolute. Then she was gone.



--------------------------------



Want more? Leave feedback. LOL.

ladydameon

----------------

Goddess of Violence

[WickedReds]

yeah i want more..



-reds



my banana dances for smut

Tara in a wet shirt, Tara in a wet shirt. Tara in. A. Wet. Shirt. “Of course.”-Willow From Remember to Breath By Yellow Crayon



Now that just sucks- me

[onyxsundrops]

Very interesting story. Reading chapter four the whole time I was wondering if there is another reason why the Dragon wants Willow's body destroyed other than Willow not being able to fully control the power she's been given. But I'll wait to confirm that I'm wrong.



Who is the Phoenix (or who will it be)? And I'm guessing that they didn't want Tara to leave the circle because the connection would be broken, but seeing how the Dragon wanted her to leave, I don't know if that's right either. Maybe she would've learned more if she had left the circle, or maybe fallen into some sort of void. I have no idea.



Great update.



Yvonne

Edited by: onyxsundrops at: 9/16/04 4:03 pm

[xeembiote]

OMG YOU UPDATED YOU UPDATED!!!!!!

[ladydameon]

Okay, here is a new part......Just so you know, the story is complete, however I will not post until I am sure you guys like it.......That means........feedback, please.........



For all those who left me feedback. Thank you!



WickedReds:

You wanted more...so here ya go.



onyxsundrops:

So many thoughts. I'm not sure how to answer your questions without giving away any of the plot, but some will be answered in the below update. Thanks for the support and interest.



xeembiote:

Yes, I did and now I have updated again. I will update again and again as long as you continue to ask.



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Tara felt her lungs flooded with air, her eyes washed with light. With a strangled gasp, she fell forward onto her hands, struggling to regain control of her breathing. The world spun like a merry-go-round on crack. Tara dropped the Staff. Immediately, she missed the connection.



"Are you alright?" Gently, Giles placed a hand on the heaving blonde's shoulder.



Slowly, Tara nodded and sat up. "There was a dragon.... Big dragon."



"Makes sense," commented Buffy.



Giles cast the Slayer a pointed look.



"What?" she whined.



Tara gazed at the Staff. Sure enough, the ancient wood was splintered and cracked. "It said, it said that the Staff was breaking." Taking a slow breath, she turned to the Scoobies. Tara reached for the Staff. Heat radiated as waves of magickal energies seeped into the air.



"But did you see Willow?" Xander asked. There were a million questions to be asked, but in what order? Anya squeezed his hand. Xander pulled her closer to him.



"Tara, tell us what happened." Giles knew whatever was to be done would have to happen quickly. No sooner did Tara enter a meditative state than the Staff of Dragon begin to crack. He pressed the others to remain quiet while prompting Tara to keep going. Any detail could be important. Obviously, Willow and the Dragon were now one. When Tara finally stopped, Giles said, "Oh dear lord."



"What?" Dawn looked from Tara to Giles to Buffy and back to Giles. "What?"



"From how this has been conveyed, the Staff breaking may cause the Hellmouth to open and, quite possibly, the destruction of Willow's soul." Giles removed his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose, and leaned his elbows on his knees.



"How do we stop it?" Buffy paced, wishing there was something she could hit.



"Option one, we get the Staff as far from Sunnydale as possible." The glare received from Buffy caused a cold chill in Giles. "Option two, we find a Phoenix and have it "awaken" the Dragon." Giles knew the first option was not possible. It would take him hours to determine a safe distance radius. The second option could take years—or not. Giles snapped upright. "Dawn, on the table, the Slayer Codex, get it!"



***



Buffy the Vampire Slayer stood before her best friend, Willow, while holding the Staff of Dragon. "You want me to what?" She shifted her gaze from Giles to Tara to the Staff. "Are you sure?"



"Yes." Giles gripped Buffy's shoulders firmly. "You are the Phoenix. Please Buffy, we don't have time to debate this."



Buffy nodded as she squared her shoulders. Her eyes locked with Tara's as Buffy knelt down next to Willow. The Staff felt brittle and weak as if it would crumble at any moment. Holding the Staff above Willow's abdomen, Buffy watched Tara kneel next to her. Buffy waited as Tara lovingly stroked Willow's cheek and placed a soft kiss on her lips. As the kiss lingered, Buffy realized she should do it before Tara pulled away and could see what she was about to do.



Raising the Staff higher, Buffy gritted her teeth. She let herself believe that she was a Phoenix. The Staff pierced Willow's flesh. The wound was engulfed in light that traveled up the Staff, up Buffy's arms. It burned. The heat was nearly unbearable, but Buffy couldn't let go. Suddenly, she screamed. Splinters from the Staff embedded themselves into her hands and inner arms. The Slayer's blood dripped and ran into a pattern, a design in a deep rusty brown. Buffy's screams stopped as the Staff of Dragon shifted into an ethereal tornado of fire. It swirled angrily as it changed shape, changed into a Dragon. The wraithlike Dragon roared, challenging Buffy. Quickly, it turned, diving into the still glowing intersection of flesh and fire in Willow’s belly.



Willow screamed when the wound closed itself. She convulsed as the unearthly fire burned from the inside. It burned through the skin of her midsection to leave a brand much like the Slayer's new tattoo. Willow's breathing slowed to short gasps as the tattoo cooled to a rich charcoal. Yet, she did not open her eyes.



Tara stroked her lover's hair as she whispered in Willow's ear. If seeing the pain was not enough, Tara had also felt the surging hot torture from Buffy and Willow. It was numbing. Much to Tara's delight, Willow responded to her lover with sleepy whimpers. Sighing, Tara smiled. This was more than she had a few hours ago.



"What have you done?" demanded the Black Mage.



"WHOA!" Xander grabbed Dawn and Anya, pulling them back with him to the basement wall. "Where did you come from?"



Ignoring Xander, the Black Mage pointed at Buffy. "Did you think I wouldn't notice, stupid girl?" He took a step closer. His hands shook with rage. "You have no idea what you have done—to give the power of the Staff form."



Giles grabbed Tara. He pulled them both under the cellar steps. "No," he hissed, tightening his grip around her as she struggled to get free.



Slowly, Buffy stood. This was the last thing she was expecting. This was the last thing she needed with her arms and hands feeling like jell-o. Buffy tried to raise her arms, to ready herself for a fight, but she couldn't. They wouldn't respond. She could only hope that the Black Mage didn't notice. Too late.



***



Bone and flesh smashed flat against cold concrete.



Buffy forced her eyes open. The Black Mage had blasted her with an energy ball. However, unlike the first time he zapped her, Buffy didn't feel the nasty effects of the magick, only those contributed to her body hitting the wall. That Buffy could deal with. She pushed off the wall.



Before Buffy could reach him, the Black Mage held his hand out and open. As Buffy floated in mid air, he balled his hand into a fist and thrust it upward.



Struggling to grab onto something solid, Buffy watched the Mage's actions. She covered her head as she smashed through the ceiling into the kitchen. Dazed, Buffy scrambled to her feet. She had to get him out of the house before there was nothing left of the house. Besides, how many times could she take being slammed through walls?



As she jolted out the back door, the Black Mage drifted through the floor as if it wasn't there, as if there wasn't a Buffy-sized hole. As the Mage stepped out of the door, Buffy slapped a shovel into the Mage's stomach. The physical blow forced him back into the kitchen. She raised the shovel to smash it onto his face, but Buffy was flung backwards into the yard.



With a grunt, Buffy landed and rolled to her feet. Her arms felt warm. Quickly, she checked herself out. The strange tattoos had started to glow a warm, fire-like color. "Whoa." Buffy glanced up in time to see another energy ball. Rolling to the side, she ducked as another just missed her. However, her luck ran out as Buffy received a direct hit.



The Black Mage narrowed his eyes. That last hit should have sent her flying, but the Slayer stayed rooted to the ground. During his careful inspection of his foe, the Black Mage noticed the glowing tattoos on the Slayer's inner arms. He growled. Something had happened during the Staff's destruction. Slowly, the Black Mage walked towards Buffy. As he stepped into the yard, he spoke, "I don't know what you've done, but you will pay for it." Then, the Mage was gone.



Buffy stood. Holding her arms out in front of her, she studied the tattoos as the glow faded. The magicks had no effect. Was she immune to magick? Somehow Buffy doubted it. That would just be too easy. "I'm doomed to wear long sleeves forever."



***



Willow woke to the light song of a wind chime. She felt safe and warm wrapped in a soft blanket smelling of lavender. Shifting, Willow allowed the senses of the waking world to lure her, to seduce her to awareness. After a deep inhale, she opened her eyes. Why was she in Buffy's mom's room? Stretching her stiff, achy muscles, Willow sat up and climbed out of the bed.



Eww, she felt dirty.



Quietly making her way into the bathroom, Willow looked at herself in the mirror. Eww, she looked dirty. "Buffy won't mind if I borrow some of her clothes," Willow said to her reflection.



After a brief tryst through Buffy's closet, Willow went back to the bathroom and started to strip out of the sweats. "When did I put these on?" She pulled the baggy sweatshirt over her head. What Willow saw in the mirror caused her to stumbled backwards. She fell into the tub with the sweatshirt still tangled around her arms and head. "What the hell?" Ripping the shirt off, Willow looked down at the tattoo on her stomach. The pattern continued below the waistband of her pants. "How far does it go down?" Lifting the waist, Willow's went wide. "Oh!"



"WILLOW?"



Willow looked up at the sound of her name. She followed the sound of the steps as they traveled through the master bedroom and into the bathroom. Tara stopped in the door.



"Willow," Tara rasped as she hurried forward. Wrapping her arms around her love, Tara placed soft kisses all over Willow. "Oh baby," she cooed.



Not one to deny Tara, Willow relaxed into the soft shower of kisses. It hit her, then. Everything that had happened came into sharp focus. Willow remembered being kidnapped by the Black Mage. She remembered him hurling the Staff of Dragon at her. Willow remembered.... Her eyes went wide. Yet, just as she was about to freak, Willow became aware of the Dragon. She wasn't inside the Dragon, nor was the Dragon inside of her. Willow was a Dragon just as Buffy was now a Phoenix.



It must have been horrible for her, Willow thought as she cupped Tara's face and delivered a passionate kiss. Kissing Tara set Willow on fire. She had to touch her, to feel her. With a newfound strength, Willow lifted herself onto the edge of the tub causing Tara to straddle Willow's hips.



Tara clung to Willow. Arms pulled bodies closer. Hands ran through red hair. Nails dug into muscled flesh. She moaned as Willow pulled her head back by her hair. She sighed as Willow nipped and suckled her neck while snaking a hand up the back of her shirt. Tara gasped as Willow's nails dragged down over her spine. The sensations were so intense. Tara never thought she'd have Willow again or have Willow take her again.



Willow lost herself in Tara. The feelings and desires inside of her could not be denied.



The intensity of Willow's touches was a balm to Tara's shattered spirit. Every kiss, every caress, brought Tara back to herself. Although fueled by raw passion, their lovemaking healed and strengthened their bond, themselves.



At some point, their bodies shifted positions. They melted together into the mutual ebb and flow of their love. Legs pressed and ground against the other's center. Mouths touched. Hands caressed every piece of skin. Tara felt as if they were rolling across the floor without actually moving. It seemed that Willow was on top, then herself, then Willow again. However, the logistics of the act were muted as they reached their peak.



It was as if time stopped. Tara opened her eyes to see Willow's bright green ones barely inches away. One exhaled as the other inhaled. The moment seemed to last for minutes. Suddenly, the tension was released. Tara watched Willow close her eyes and toss her head back. Beautiful. Tara quickly followed.



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Wanna another part?

ladydameon

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Goddess of Violence

[Washi]

Whoa, talk about intense, I'm sleepy, so I'll try to leave more feedback tomorrow, something coherent. I definitely want more.

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"See? I've mastered this tact crap." Anya in Tears Of The Goddess by Lisa



The course of love doesn’t always run smooth, especially for the neurotic and accident-prone. ~ LadyB



.:Dark-bliss.net :. .:Blink.Flash.Sparkle.:. .:My blog:. .:Blood and Ink:. .:Washi's 70s Site:.

[WickedReds]

Whoa... baby that was intense... me want more...



-reds



my banana dances for smut

Smutbunny Anthem: *sung to tune from Goldfinger* Smutbunnies...they'e the bunnies, the bunnies that love the smut...and Willow's butt. They surf for smut fiction...always lookin' for the next naked sweaty fix...of Tara's tits.- Written By Cameron(tarawhipped) For Us Smut Bunnies

[sabina]

Hi there



I just discovered this story and I'm still trying to wrapp my mind around all that has happened to Willow.



So Willow is now a dragon and Buffy is a phoenix... I wonder what does that mean in terms of their powers



This is a great story, please continue



P.S. From what episode is your avatar? Willow and Tara look really cute in it

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"I know I was born and I know that I'll die.

The in between is mine.

I am mine!" - Pearl Jam