The Craft: Invoking the Spirit
by littlewiccan
Willow, Michelle, Gwen, and Kate all walked onto the clearing that was Dead Man’s bluff. It was right near the ocean and Willow could hear the waves crashing against the shore as they walked along under the light of the full moon.

Willow thought of Oz. Right now he was back in the Sunnydale library caged and all wolfed out. She wished she could be with him that he was there with her right now. That she could comfort him but most of all she wished she could help him control his curse or gift. She wasn’t really sure what it was or maybe even make it go away.

They had looked for spells and other cures it Giles’s books and on the internet but they had come up empty handed. Lycanthropy didn’t have a cure and Willow somehow doubted there was anyway she could start an organization that supported research without being out in the loony bin.

“Why do they call it Dead Man’s Bluff?” Willow asked as they formed a circle.

Kate just laughed, “You don’t want to know….So what are we waiting for are we gonna start this party or what?”

Gwen laughed, “Go ahead.”

Kate held her palm’s up to the air and began to recite the incantation, “Guardian’s of the Watch towers of the North. Spirits of mother earth we implore thee.”

“Guardian’s of the Watch towers of the East. Spirits of air we implore thee,” Willow stated.

“Guardian’s of the Watch towers of the South. Spirits of fire and passion we implore thee,” Gwen recited as the clouds began to rumble and thunder and lighting began to strike in the distance.

“Guardian’s of the Watch towers of the West. Spirits of water and intuition we implore thee,” Michelle recited as the thunder and lighting moved in closer. The storm was so close they could feel it imminent moisture.

“We call upon you on this spring’s eve,” Kate said, “Bless us and grant are heart’s desires.”

Willow heard the loud crash of thunder right behind her. She quickly turned around and watched as lighting hit a near by tree, sending pieces of bark flying.

“Its working,” Kate said, “Its working.”

That’s when a large bolt of lightning came down from the sky and hit Gwen. She fell to the floor her body, convulsing slightly until it laid still. Willow and Michelle ran overt to her.

“We need to get her to a hospital,” Willow said.

“Okay,” Michelle said. She turned around and then turned back to Willow, “Where’s Kate?”

“What?” Willow said, turning around, “Kate!”

“Kate! Where are you? Kate!” Michelle yelled.

“We can’t wait for her. We need to get Gwen to a hospital now….We’ll come back for her. I promise.”

“Okay,” Michelle said with a nod.

*******************

Willow and Michelle sat anxiously awaiting the doctor’s return in the hospital’s waiting room. It was almost dawn. Willow could see the sun peaking out from behind the horizon. They both rose when they saw the doctor coming.

“Is she going to be okay?” Michelle asked.

“She’ll be fine. She got some pretty bad burns but other that she’s fine.”

“Can we see her?” Willow asked.

“She’s sleeping right now. She really needs her rest. We’re going to keep here for a few days just for observation. Why don’t you girls go home? Get some rest and something to eat and then come back in a few hours.”

They just nodded.

“Don’t worry, you’re friends going to be just fine,” the doctor said with a reassuring smile and then he walked away.

“Now what?” Michelle said, turning to Willow.

“Let’s go find Kate.”

******************

“Kate! Kate!” Willow and Michelle yelled as they ran up the hill that led to Dead Man’s Bluff.

“Oh my god,” Willow said. She stopped short, wearing a look of utter shock and horror on her face. Littered over the ground were the bodies of dead birds.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know.”

“Its like they just gave up and just dropped out of the sky,” Michelle said, “What’s that?” she said walking over to the edge of the cliff and pointing at a figure that was walking across the ocean.

“I don’t know,” Willow replied. They both turned around and ran down to the beach, where dead birds were also strewn over the ground and watched as the figure came forward. It was Kate and she was walking on water.

“Pretty cool huh?” Kate said, walking on to the beach.

Willow shook her head, “This is bad, what we did is bad.”

Kate laughed, “Bad? Willow come on, look at me. I can walk on water. I’m the friggin messiah. No I’m better. I can feel him in me. Manon. He’s flowing through my veins. I can feel his power coursing through me…..and look at this!” she waved her hands indicating the dead birds, “look at all this! These, these are my gifts!” She laughed.

“Kate what did you wish for?” Willow asked.

“Power….You were wrong Willow you said magic couldn’t make everything all better but at look at this, look at this! He choose me! He choose me and I’ve never felt better,” Kate laughed, “Where’s Gwen? I wanna show her my new tricks.”

“She’s the hospital,” Michelle said.

“What?”

“She got hit but a bolt of lighting,” Michelle replied.

“Is she okay?”

“Yeah she’ll be okay,” Willow said, hugging Kate. She was glad this reality check had brought her friend back down to earth but she had a sinking feeling that this wasn’t the end, it was only the beginning.

******************
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