Important Note: I have not yet fully decided, if I'll make my first attempt on an (English) Buffy/Willow shipper or a Buffy/Willow/Tara one, what I do with Sylphiel and Gourry is basically decided on that. I would like to have your feedback while I develop the story on what to do. Foreword Well (with all the fiction I've been writing and probably never finishing *sigh*), I finally decided to put this into motion after I had some good time to dwell on the idea of a "Slayer/Slayers" fusion. The idea has formed while watching Slayers actually and learning of Willow's fall into addiction through a lot of fics on the Buffy/Willow-lists (Season 6 has not started here yet, most likely in Autumn). The basic difference there I thought was; BtVS Black Magic: Gah, bad, destructive, chaos, EVIL we don't want that. Slayers Black Magic: Well okay, it's demon based but doesn't have to be necessarily used for evil if controlled. Now tell me, what would have become of Willow, if someone taught her to get a grip on the Black Magic stuff and control it (like Lina... err, most of the time at least)? A lot of inspiration on this point also came from Hunter's Red Moon Series. So, before I go babbling and giving everything away before writing, here it goes. Prologue: Dimensional Chaos (Lina) The air around us was thick and filled with utter destruction, its source directly in front of us, ready to whisk us away from the face of earth. I was so not going to let this damned dragon do this. Granted he had a point that this countless battles were pointless, that the question of why the war between Dragons and Mazoku had to be was a verified one. But destroying the whole of creation, resetting the evolutionary circle, hoping for a better life? This was crazy and I think deep down he knows it. The world needs a certain amount of Chaos to stabilize the Order. Without Chaos mankind would stagnate and die much quicker. And what did Valgaarv think gave us the confirmation that the next world would indeed be different, that the Lady would not simply repeat the whole thing all over again? It was ridiculous! Even when they managed to destroy this world and the other three, did they really think they could rebel against their creator? I did not think so and as an at least somewhat avatar of the Lord of Nightmares I also KNEW so. Now, when this blasted things would just work again I stared down at the bracelets and wondered for the thousand's time in the last minutes why I could not cast the Giga Slave. Sure, I was not actually thrilled with another encounter of death or being possessed by the most powerful being, the creator herself. But looking up at Filia again who was still debating with herself, whether she wanted or not wanted to alginate with Xellos to fulfill the prophecy, I was hard-pressed to believe that the Giga Slave might be the better solution than her own prophecy. Just as the Golden Dragon and former priestess seemed to have reached a decision, everything went into utter chaos. Without warning Valgaarv unleashed a powerful blast of magic into our rows, scattering the formation we had tried to form. Zelgadis, Gourry and Sirius had all the presence of mind to jump or levitate out the way but Amelia was still staying directly in the path of the destructive force. From experience I knew fully well that it would be too late for her but I cried out anyway: "AMELIA, WATCH OUT!" With wide eyes and clenched fists I watched the blast making impact and hurling Amelia, who had attempted a half-heartily attempt on a shield, high into the air, her weapon flying from her hand, the light energy winking out immediately. I darted forward in a futile attempt to somehow save my friend but was halted by another magic bolt that just barely passed by me, only to engulf an equally distracted and surprised Xellos, disintegrating him on the spot. A second later Amelia landed hard against cold stone, head first and blood flowing freely. I felt my stomach lurch at the sight and my heart clenched. Amelia was one of my oldest companions. Companions that had become friends. Friends that had become even more on the long run. There was Gourry, yes, but I still didn't really know what I felt about him nor was I going to admit it. Amelia though was always a loyal and good friend, even if we often fought over pathetic things, even if she aggravated me to no end with her justice attitude sometimes. I smiled at that, remembering some of her worse stunts. It was a sad smile and the nostalgic feeling was quickly stomped on as I focused back on the tattered mess of the girl I considered a really close friend. If anyone, Amelia did not deserve this. "Filia, help her," I said through clenched teeth, my fists vibrating with a cold fury. Xellos was dead, Amelia close to it - if not already and I didn't even want to think of that - and we would follow soon. Valgaarv had gone too far. He had crossed a line, where I wouldn't, couldn't forgive anymore. Filia, still in a state of frozen shock at what her hesitation had caused, hadn't moved, her eyes were on me, frightened and scared, unsure what to do. I wasn't going to have any of that right now. Her insecurity had caused Amelia her present state and she was going to fix it. "NOW!" I growled and the former priestess actually jumped, nodded quickly and hurried to Amelia's side. I made sure that she reached her and that Zelgadis and Gourry were keeping watch, while she applied her dragon magic, praying to myself that she would make it. Then I finally glanced up to Valgaarv, I think I saw him flinching under my gaze, even if the emotionless smile still was there. He really didn't care anymore. Well, so did I. I gripped the bow that had fallen not far from me tightly and concentrated. The first time I invoked the magic of the creator, I had cast it on the Sword of Light, one of the five weapons of the Dark Star and it didn't kill me back then. Still, Sylphiel and the Clair Bible's warning were all very much present in my mind as was what my friends reluctantly told me about my possession while fighting Fibrizo. It was a risk, more for me than the world since it would be destroyed anyway. "May the creator have mercy with me..." I whispered and held up the bow, invoking the power of light. "Darkness beyond blackest pitch, deeper than the deepest night!" Valgaarv/Dark Star actually hesitated as the blinding vortex of chaos power began to swirl around me. The arrowhead began absorbing the power and turning into nothingness. "Lord of Darkness, shining like gold upon the Sea of Chaos, I call upon thee, swear myself to thee!" Now the Demon Lord actually recoiled from the power and Valgaarv stared down with wide eyes at the scene beneath him. "Let the fools who stand before us be destroyed by the power you and I possess!" Valgaarv had began frantically unleashing magic at me but it was no use, the chaos storm around me simply absorbed the energy and added it to mine. I had to fight very hard for control, the urge to simply let the power free reign almost to great to withstand. I felt the primal call of destruction, to do what Valgaarv attempted himself. But that would not be, this time I would not falter. For the sake of the world and especially for Amelia, I would pull this off. "You can't be serious! Stop this, that is madness! Do you want to end ALL of creation?!?" I ignored Valgaarv's shouts and looked back over my shoulder at my gathered friends. There was a mixture of fear and understanding in all of their faces. Even Gourry who I had heard yelling at me from behind was quiet and when my gaze fell on him, he just briefly nodded at a series of unspoken questions. I needed him to understand, I needed him to not blame himself and I needed him to watch out for Amelia for me. And he did so. My eyes fell once again on Amelia who was laying on the ground, glowing in a faint golden light of healing magic. Her eyes were open and met mine with a pleading gaze that made me almost consider to just drop the magic - which I wasn't sure of even being possible at this point. I think she mouthed my name and said something else that I couldn't understand, probably begging for me to stop. But I couldn't. Not now, not after what Valgaarv had done to everyone. What he had done to HER, for her I would sacrifice my soul and the only way to make sure she was safe most likely involved this aspect. The realization of how deep my feelings for the young princess ran startled me but the absolute clarity behind them, began to make sense now. I didn't know how or why, not even when or if it was returned but it was so simple now. The clarity before death... Smiling a sad smile in her direction, I faced Valgaarv once again and didn't bother to answer any of his pathetic demands as I concentrated all remaining power on the talisman of light, making the arrow pulsate with chaos magic. "GIGA SLAVE!" Closing my eyes, I let the arrow go and the enormous, straining power leave me with the force of a sonic boom. Left drained and empty, I failed to notice the swirling gate of white light popping into existence the moment the Giga Slave literally impaled Dark Star/Valgaarv... (Willow) I heard Dawn's screams for her sister before I actually saw the horror happening above. Still cradling a scared and shivering Tara in my arms I barely caught Buffy diving right into the dimensional gates, which was opened moments before from the blood of her own sister - The Key. My heart threatened to burst right on the spot. What was she doing there? She couldn't go, she shouldn't leave! I had just gotten Tara back but for what price? "Darkness beyond blackest pitch, deeper than the deepest night!" Time seemed to stop or at least slow down considerably as I watched my best friend, my confidence, the person who made me what I am today, vanishing into the spiraling pool of light. "Buffy," I rasped out staring at the sky, waiting for the miracle to occur. There always was a miracle. Buffy wouldn't die, she never did, we all came through in the end. That's how it was supposed to be. I waited and waited... and waited... and continued waiting. "Lord of Darkness, shining like gold upon the Sea of Chaos, I call upon thee, swear myself to thee!" "She's gone, Willow," Tara's own sad voice whispered and the words were like a sharp knife rammed right through my heart and soul alike, sending me into a state of denial. "No, no. She can't be dead! Buffy always survives! Always!" I cried out, shaking my head, then throwing it back and shouting to the heavens. "Do you hear me? ALWAYS!" There was no answer, just the flashing of the gateway. One time, a second time... No sign from Buffy, the Slayer was gone. If I hadn't been holding Tara, I surely would have broken down by now, so I just cried tears of anguish and soul-shattering tears, soaking Tara's clothing wet. "Let the fools who stand before us be destroyed by the power you and I possess!" There was so much I hadn't told her, so much I still had to share with the one person who had the most striking influence on my life. "No..." I whispered. "Oh Goddess, please no..." I felt Tara's arms around me but even she wasn't able to take away the pain. I had saved her from Glory, just to lose the second - no, the prime important person in my life. The vortex flashed a third time and then there was a loud boom, accompanied by a shrill cry of power and rage echoing over the deafening noise. "GIGA SLAVE!" I realized the low whisper I had thought to imagine had to be a spell incantation of some sort. When something came through the portal which was closing right behind it. At first I really believed it to be Buffy but quickly realized to my bitter disappointment that what passed through was, though definitely human and even female, someone different. I could make out orange-red hair and something resembling a black cloak through my tear-stained eyes before a shrill, cursing shriek echoed through the night's air, followed by a quick and desperately hopeful: "RAYWING!" For a moment nothing seemed to happen before a faint aura of... magical wind flickered into existence, lowering the girl gently to the ground. "What?" I asked lamely and helped Tara to her feet - or was Tara helping me up? Either way we slowly approached the girl on the ground and noticed the others doing likewise. For a moment we stood over the form the teenage girl, maybe slightly younger than us which did not betray the signs of maturity, however. There was a long silence, before anyone spoke. "What's up with the white hair?" Typical Xander behavior to master such situations although I had to admit that was odd. Tara confirmed my suspicion a second later. "Magical backlash. What-Whatever she did, it to-took a lot out of her." I frowned and studied the girl a bit closer, even if only for the reason to stop my heart from jumping wildly around. "Powerful... Black magic, I guess, can still feel it in the air... Though the levitation or whatever was not..." Tara's embrace tightened and Giles nodded in confirmation. I looked at him with pleading eyes. "What about... Buffy... Is she...?" I trailed off and saw the ex-watcher squirming under my gaze. Finally he sighed somewhat exasperated - he didn't even bother to clear his glasses! "Willow, would you please calm down and think rationally for one moment, you would come to a more relieving, even if not really satisfying conclusion." As I continued to stare at him blankly and tried to wrap my mind around whatever he wanted to tell me, Giles sighed yet again. "Think, Willow, we all saw the girl come out of the vortex and we know The Key opens a gate to all dimensions. Normally I would share your fear that Buffy left us but my guess is that somehow the dimension the young lady here came from, is connected to ours, probably during similar important events and brought the girl here. Which would mean that Buffy..." "Is in the other dimension? I had this figured out already. Why do you tell us something that ob..." Anya stopped in mid- sentence, when she received a group glare. I looked back at Giles, my hope rising already. "You think she's alive?" I asked meekly. "Quite so. We just need to figure out where she is and how we get her back." I doubted the simplicity of this course of action but let myself relax into my lovers arms. Giles was right. I was an idiot for not thinking rationally. "Easy, Will, it's normal to react like that, especially after what you've gone through," Tara reassured me. I didn't answer but simply closed my eyes, relishing in the feeling of my once again sane girlfriend's arms. I noticed Spike leading a distraught though equally confused and hopeful Dawn down the tower, while Xander picked up the unconscious girl, for once not receiving a jealous look or any comment from Anya. "Let's go home." I looked back at the tower, where we had minutes ago fought our probably hardest and worst battle ever and nodded silently. Buffy might be gone, but she was not dead. Now that I could think logically again, I simply knew it with a surprising clarity. If Buffy was to be dead, I would have felt it. She was alright, somewhere.
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