Sealed With a Kiss: Part 7
by Anya
The Seal glowed with new life. Power flowed strongly throughout the inferno of blue fire that surrounded the fundamental disk forming the Seal's base. The flames consumed everything surrounding that area, roaring high to the very roof of the chamber. The entire chamber pulsated with the resurgence of energy, the purity, and magnitude of it pushing at the awareness of every mortal and immortal present.
Buffy and Xander stood paralyzed with shock. Willow's fragile form floated limply in the Seal's column. Her arms hung bonelessly at her sides, her upper body arched backwards by the weight of her unconsciously rolled back head. She wasn't moving, and they couldn't discern the rise and fall of her chest to ascertain that she was living.
"We have to get her out of there!" Xander bellowed. He moved towards his childhood friend. Raising his arm, he curled a fist and drew back his elbow in preparation of a punch through the conflagration. His arm was quickly seized in the steely grip of Buffy's undead paramour.
"You can't do anything for her now, fool. You touch that Seal and you'll be the luckiest son of a bitch alive if you even end up like her!" Angel grated out. Being this close to the Seal was agony, but for Buffy's sake, he would protect her and her friends. "If you're not lucky, you might kill both you and HER!"
Xander made as if to protest, the agony in his eyes clear for all to read. His voice, however, was silenced as Giles loudly cleared his throat. The Watcher slowly stood, having helped a weakened Ms. Calendar gently sit down. Hands trembling slightly at what, and more importantly who he saw standing in the midst of the Seal, he drew closer to his horrified Slayer, and her friend. It was one thing to know what a prophecy implied or meant, it was quite another to see it implemented. "Angel is correct." He began in his quiet voice, slowly growing louder and stronger as it echoed softly in the stone room. "We can't do anything for Willow here. The best thing, the only thing we can do that will be of any help to her is to carry on."
Everyone's attention was focused on him now, distracting all from pained thoughts of Willow. "Willow will survive, assuming we are able to put an end to whomever is encroaching on the Seal." Giles paused, staring at the prone Willow.
"We don't even know if she's already de..dead or not." Buffy protested. "We can't leave her like this."
Giles turned away from the Seal. "She lives. The Seal needs her to stand watch over it right now, it won't kill her."
"How do you know that? You said I couldn't watch the Seal because if I wasn't ready to guard it properly, the Seal would kill me. Willow isn't in any shape for this! Can't we drag her off of it or something? We have to try!" Buffy's statement was a curious mix of demand and plea. Her face looked like tears were about to make their way down her cheeks. Her hands clenched into the fabric of her black pants, holding it very taut as if Buffy didn't know what she would do if she didn't keep those hands occupied.
"No. We can't. If we do there is no telling what would happen, but if we stop the attacks on the Seal, it won't have any need for her. She'll be left free. It's your friend's life, Buffy, but the call is yours," came the cold response of Angel. Sometimes Buffy wondered if he truly did have a soul, he could be so cold at times.
Her blond head bent down, hair falling to block a clear view of her face. The emotions playing across that visage went so rapidly, they wouldn't have been able to truly understand them. "Fine. We go on. But no one else does ANYTHING without telling me first. Got it?" Buffy hissed, eyes full of anger.
Xander opened his mouth, only to be shot down with a glance as the Slayer countered his unspoken request. "No. You are not staying behind with Willow. You can't help her, and you heard the others, you'll only endanger her." The Slayer paused, seeing a look of mutiny in Xander's eyes. She knew she was demanding a lot from him, to sacrifice what he felt he owed Willow in terms of friendship, but it was the same sacrifice Buffy felt she was making. "You're coming with us. We'll drag you if necessary."
Turning on heel, the Slayer faced Ms. Calendar, her countenance fading in intensity. "Ms. Calendar, you'll stay here with Willow. You have the best credentials for being any aid to her, and right now I rather doubt that you're capable of helping us."
If the techno-pagan was inclined to protest, she didn't show it. Carefully nodding her dark head, and wincing from the pain that shot through her skull at that small act, she conceded to Buffy.
Buffy gave a curt nod in acknowledgment of the teacher, then briskly moved towards the massive doors, her posture indicating that she expected the others to follow. Xander debated staying behind even as his legs began moving forward. He continued considering defying Buffy all the way down the corridor and down to the next level.
It seemed like they walked forever. On and on, in an endless spiral. And aimlessly. There was no 'map', or known route, Buffy just walked on. The frustration and anger at leaving Willow helpless manifested in her stride. Long, purposeful steps, and body language just begging to have something to punch, she kept her head in a fixed position, an intense frown on her face, and trudged forward.
Behind her, Angel and Giles exchanged a silent commiserating look. For all his apparent youth, Angel had centuries of maturity which brought a difference in his mental perspective to Buffy's. He understood her fury, her need for vengeance, but didn't feel it himself.
Giles felt much the same way, and both men knew it. For Giles, while he ached for the pain his Slayer felt, he also knew that what was happening to Willow would have happened regardless. The Watcher fervently prayed that the girl would be alright after all this was done, otherwise he didn't know how Buffy would cope.
Jesse's death had upset her greatly, but she had never really known the boy. Consequently, her emotional recovery was swift. Willow on the other hand, was very close to Buffy. The tiny, shy girl had been the Slayer's rock in the real world. One who accepted her fully as a person, not a superhuman. If the Seal caused any permanent harm to Willow, Giles doubted that Buffy would regain that emotional balance she needed.
Straining to see in the darkness, even with the flashlights, Giles turned his head to see Xander dragging his feet behind them. As much as Giles felt for Buffy, he pitied Xander more, and he pitied himself. To Xander, Willow was his childhood. The loss of her, after Jesse would destroy the boy. For all that Xander thought he loved Buffy, Giles knew full well that one day the young man would realize that it wasn't Buffy that held his heart.
And for himself, Willow was a reminder of his youth. She had such a love for knowledge, such a drive for truth. She was a welcomed part of his world for her calm, her eagerness to help, and the silent support she always lent the Watcher. If it weren't for her youth, and her insecurities that came with her young age, Giles would have considered her an equal and a friend. Many times, he did anyway.
Wishing he had something to say to Xander, Giles was shocked to hear Angel speak softly to the boy instead.
"I'm sorry for being rough on you, back there." The dark-haired man said. Xander looked up, the distress and desire to mutiny duly reflected in his eyes. Angel paused, allowing Xander to step beside him, before returning to his pace. "I truly believe Willow will come out of this fine," he offered.
Xander shrugged, "Yeah." His voice was lifeless. His posture indicated defeat before the battle had even begun.
Angel shot Giles a look. Xander and Angel had never been on good terms. Both of them had strong feelings for Buffy, and that put them at odds. Of course, Angel being the same creature as what had destroyed Jesse didn't help them bond any.
"The prophecy never mentioned the Maiden's death. So, I have to concur with Angel." Giles offered helpfully. He was pleased to see hope spring to Xander's eyes.
"You think?" Xander asked softly, pleading to both of them for security. "I mean, Willow was so scared of those nightmares..." His voice trailed off.
Angel grunted. "I can't blame her. The nightmares were the images of a horrific future. She had every right to be scared of them. But the condition for those horrors to come to pass was that there was no one protecting the Seal. Surely she has the most incentive to guard it the best."
Xander was silent, and it was difficult to read his expression. Staring at some unseen point ahead of him, he contemplated those words carefully. "Willow's never been much of a fighter. Cordelia and her crew have walked all over her for years, 'cause Willow hasn't got the courage to stand up to them." He spoke finally. The tone of his voice, however, was a temporary peace offering in the war between him and Angel. Whether the truce would last beyond this fight, Giles dared not speculate.
"She's changed. You've changed. That's the Slayer's influence. You can't be around the supernatural powers that move the Slayer, and not react to them," Giles commented. "Willow willingly shoves whatever morals she has aside if it will help Buffy. And she would cheerfully slit her throat if it would save yours. I think you realize that."
Xander smiled slightly. "She would, wouldn't she? I've never known anyone who values a friendship like Willow does. Maybe 'cause they don't come easily to her." His voice drifted off. "Although, y'know, you are right. Her personality has become stronger. She doesn't let people push her around, anymore. At least, not as much. "
Angel clapped Xander on the back. A brave move in terms of their shaky new truce. "See? And since technically Buffy's leading us straight into danger, it'll give Willow all the more reason to hold on."
"Buffy doesn't have a clue where she's leading us," Xander said sourly. "She's just doing her bad-attitude walk."
Giles chuckled softly. "It would seem that way, but I rather doubt it." Quietly, he observed the young Slayer before commenting to the two young men standing beside him. "She may not realize what she's doing, but the powers that have set this prophecy in motion will lead her straight to wherever this final battle will be."
"Great." Xander muttered dismally, "Someone's going to get hurt when we get there, y'know. That prophecy you translated said..uh..'Amulet imprisons, the Power will heal.'"
Giles rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "It didn't say specifically that it would heal a person. It could be a thing being healed, as in the Seal, or this Amulet it speaks of. That's the problem with prophecies. They can be tremendously vague as to the exact details of the events. Often, a prophecy cannot be truly understood or explained until after it has unfolded in it's entirety."
Angel nodded, something difficult to determine since the flashlights all pointed away from their faces. "Exactly. Look at that prophecy about Buffy's death. It never mentioned that she wouldn't be resuscitated, or that her will to live would overwhelm death."
Xander moved his head side to side. This was all true, and comforting to a degree, but it kind of overwhelmed him. Willow would have understood it so much better. She could explain it to him so that he could comprehend it totally....she wasn't really gone and he missed her so much already. He sighed deeply, and dejectedly.
Giles and Angel swapped another long-suffering look. Kids.
* * *
"My feet hurt." The thought suddenly seemed to jump into Buffy's brain, jerking herself out of the odd combination of rage and self- pity. Considering the thought, and then her feet, she conceded her body was right. Her feet did hurt. "See what I get for wearing practical shoes? I wear those boots, or fancy shoes when I go slaying, and not a drop of discomfort. I wear good sturdy leather shoes for this, and I'm getting a blister."
Behind her, she could hear the others of her party talking. She eavesdropped for a bit, smiling to hear Angel trying to comfort Xander. Those two made the worst teammates. They could work together well, and had before, but they tended to hate every moment of it.
Maintaining her pace, Buffy pulled her thoughts away from the guys, not really wanting to listen to male angst if she could avoid it. The passageway, although, didn't provide too many distractions. The low ceiling and narrow walls didn't allow for much psychological comfort. And the flashlights barely illuminated their path.
Squinting to see better, Buffy could have sworn she saw some light ahead. "Probably more of those glowing plants and stuff," she dismissed the light out of hand. Still, her eyes stayed on that steady beacon. The soft glow, her mind whispered, was like the glow of a candle. But the amount of light is that of many candles.
Frowning, she began walking faster, a motion that disrupted Giles, Angel, and Xander from their conversation. Moving to hover closer to the wall nearest the light source, Buffy was able to discern two voices: a sweet melodic feminine, and a really hoarse, guttural masculine tone.
Back against the wall, Buffy indicated for the others to mimic her actions. She leaned forward, peering cautiously into the room. A misshapen dwarf of a man had his back towards her. Dressed in the filthiest rags Buffy ever had seen, he spewed coarse language at the woman in the far corner of the room.
The woman was beautiful. The perfect picture of ethereal beauty. Long flowing red hair, perfect skin, large soulful blue eyes...she was breathtaking. A glowing aura surrounded her, cloaking her in divinity. Her arm raised up slightly in protest to the ugly little man, the sleeves of her soft gossamer gown dropped away from her arms like fairy wings.
Her tiny white hand stretched out in front of her, palm forward and fingers raised up. Tears streamed down her lovely face as she pushed her fragile limb against the field that contained her. "The Amulet is all that holds me, you malformed troll!" Her voice made the strained effort of sounding brave. "You are weakening with every moment that passes. Soon my centuries of diligence will pay off, and you shall not defeat me!"
The trollish man jumped down from the pile of rock he had perched on. Squatting, he rested his elbow on his leg, and placed his hideous mug into his palm. "Hmm..that tiny little gold amulet is holding ya you say? The all powerful Carmilla contained by a flimsy junky hunk of jewellery?" He grinned openly, yellowed teeth looking sharp and feral through the tangled bush of his beard. "Ha! You can't do nothin' 'bout the Seal now! I may be weakened, but you're totally screwed! Ya can't get past that little trinkets workings!" He pointed to a stone altar against the far wall, a tiny golden disk resting casually on the surface. In the candlelit room, it radiated the most light of all.
The being called Carmilla pushed her hand against the field again, wincing visibly and jerking back as if shocked unbearably. Clenching her hand to her chest, she conceded a few steps back away from the barrier that made her prison. Tilting her head down and away from the offensive sight of Cai, her eyes drifted closed and she focused on the world outside her jail.
"Perhaps I cannot leave this prison, Cai. But I shall make it your tomb as well. We shall both be trapped here, until the end of all time."
"Spare me the melodrama, twit," Cai said curtly. "Short of killing me with your pixie-dust magic, you ain't got a hope in hell...pardon the pun."
"Don't MOCK me!" Carmilla's eyes went intensely cold. Looking at Cai with a small sneer, her gaze went past him to the amulet on the stone altar. Eyes suddenly widened as she noticed something new, and a tiny smile of triumph hit her face. "Well, well. Cai, the Seal is no longer unprotected. You have truly lost, little man."
He stalked close to her prison. "So what if someone's in the Seal? Don't mean nuthin' to me. And it changes nuthin' fer you. In case you ain't figured it out, you're still all nicely locked up." He smiled obscenely at her.
Carmilla raised her chin up haughtily, "You impudence will not go unmarked, Cai!" She imperiously folded her arms across her chest, a royal frown upon her perfect face. "After I am freed of this prison, you will experience the extent of my Divine wrath."
Cai placed his hands on his temple, pressing hard. "Aaargh! No! No! Gaaah! You win! You're right! With that long a wait, boredom is gonna kill me if enforced company with YOU doesn't first!"
His staff was suddenly pushed out from behind him with a sharp motion causing Cai to fall over. Recovering with a roll, he turned to face the Slayer, her hands resting on her hips. "Trust me, your wait just got a lot shorter."
********************end Part Seven*********************
SPECIAL NOTE: I would like to thank two marvellous ladies for their proofreading skills. Maria Aspan, and Sharon Jacobs! Frighteningly, they both proved extraordinarily gifted at this! Thank You both!
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