Chapter 20B: Inceptum
"But what if…?" Vera started as she looked out over the sea. The sun was setting over the horizon, casting its red hues into the sky. Eve shook her head as she smiled sadly at her lover.
"If we lived our lives with what ifs, we would never have anytime to enjoy it" she said motioning to the sky. "What if the sun never set, we would never see the sky this way. And yet that is not the case. The sun does set, and we get to witness the beauty of the days changing. But if we always questioned the possibility of never experiencing it, then we lose touch with the fact that it does exist".
Vera looked at Eve as she watched the sun finally slip over the edge of the Earth. The stars started to shimmer in the darkening sky; the soft lapping of the ocean echoing off the rocks.
"You're sad" she sad softly after a moment of silence. Eve sighed heavily as a salty breeze washed through her hair.
"The tide is about to change" she murmured, the moonlight glowing off her form.
"It always does Eve" Vera answered, her brow furrowing in confusion. The tense form of her lover disturbing her. "You've never acted like this before. What is going on" she asked more forcefully, dread building up in her.
"Easy there Warrior. There is no point in telling you, since it won't happen tomorrow, or the day thereafter. But the tide is changing" Eve answered cryptically, walking back towards the castle. Vera watched her until she disappeared around the bend. She turned back to the breaking water, suddenly cursing it for never remaining the same.
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"Willow" Kennedy called out, panic settling in her voice as she looked at her feet. Willow looked down, seeing nothing but ocean under her feet, yelping in surprise. Tara laughed at her as Giles cleared is throat, cleaning his glasses for the fifth time.
"Um yes well erm..." Giles looked perplexed as he looked up at the dead Wiccan. "I have nothing to say actually except I'm glad I know how to swim now" he muttered as he placed his glasses back on his face.
"Why are we floating over the fucking ocean!!" Kennedy demanded, looking anxiously around for any signs of sharks.
"Relax Kennedy, you are safe. We just have to wait for the Goddess and our Guide" Tara chuckled as Kennedy let out a ruff grunt before turning to look at Willow.
"What are we supposed to find in a city that until recently was thought to just be legend, and is currently under thousands of feet of water?" Willow finally asked, trying to calm the racing thoughts in her head by giving her something to do.
"The city was the "library" as you would say for prophecies, lores, fates, destinies, future events, records of the past. Ronwe copied most of the books but it seems that he couldn't get everything. He missed something before Atlantis fell to the ocean. We are a step ahead of him because we know he is missing something. But it won't be long before he shows up here looking for the Lost City" Tara said as she turned, the wind cutting sharply through her head.
"For the Demon of Knowledge though, he still is pretty dense. Must be because he is male" A voice said behind Giles, causing him to jump is surprise. Tara bowed her head at the voice.
"Hello Goddess" Tara raised her eyes to look at Hecate.
"Oh child how many times do I have to tell you to call me Hecate. After a couple million years of being called Goddess and it loses its shine. Although its funny when Amdis says it" Hecate said as she turned to face Willow, who was busy pulling her best impression of a fish and a deer caught in headlights.
"I have had my eye on you for a while little tree. Had me worried for a while going into dark magic, but I knew you would pull yourself out of it. This young slayer has been good for you" Hecate said smiling at Kennedy, who was busy eyeing her suspiciously.
"Hec…Goddess….goodness….oh my" Willow said as she struggled to find the right words.
"Hecate I think you broke her" Eve said, finally speaking up as Kennedy tensed up some more. "Don't worry guardian. Hecate is just having fun at the Little Tree's expense. She means no harm" Eve laughed as Kennedy looked surprised at her.
"Who the hell are you?" Kennedy asked as Giles stood there in shock, trying to process the amount of legendary figures that have suddenly resurfaced in the past few weeks.
"I'm Hecate, I'm the Goddess that is worshipped in Wiccan culture. I help to balance the power of magic in this dimension, which I tell yea has been quite difficult as of late" Hecate turned to Eve, motioning for her to introduce herself.
"Oh I'm Eve, I'm the last ruler of Atlantis and the last keeper of the past" Eve said as she looked over the ocean. "This was once a beautiful country, filled with peace and prosperity. Rich with life, love, honor. Now it sits below" she said sadly, her eyes reflecting the pain of losing her people.
"So um, how do we get there?" Kennedy said after a moment of silence. Hecate smiled at the young slayer.
"That is a very good question Guardian. I believe our two witches here will know what to do" Hecate said smiling at Tara.
"What?! I don't know what to do! I mean this is the first time I've ever been over the ocean, unless you count the time I went to England but even then it was in a plane. How are we supposed to just make Atlantis, an entire continent, which two seconds ago was only legend to us, appear!! I mean c'mon I've only been practicing for the last ten years, and well Tara has been practicing all her life, which is why she is pure, but I mean…" Willow was cut off by Tara's hand on her shoulder. Willow turned desperately to her old lover, smiling sadly at the butterflies that jumped into her stomach. Tara smiled back, understanding the pain Willow was in by seeing her for the first time in close to 2 years. Willow shook her head, amazed at how much has happened since Tara died.
"There is always a reason for everything Willow and you know that. Deep inside you know what to do, just like I know what to do…" Tara paused as she looked uncertainly at Hecate.
"That's Amdis's child not mine. I never understood the cryptic either, however I do believe for what you are about to do I think they owe you" Hecate replied to Tara's silent question. Tara sighed as Willow looked confused.
"I was meant to be alive for this…" Tara started, tears falling from her eyes. "The Powers that Be somehow were fooled, a message was crossed, whatever, they tried to tell me I stopped listening to them. I now understand Buffy's distaste for them. I was the one who was supposed to bring the Keeper to her lost city. But because of my untimely demise, I can no longer bring us to Atlantis alone…" she looked into Willow's eyes, her tears falling harder as Willow tried to smile, but broke into a sob.
"You need a living body" Giles said softly, dabbing away the tears in his own eyes, feeling his heartbreak at knowing what these two women had, and what was torn from them.
"I chose you because you are the only I trust to channel my power Willow" Tara said softly as Willow looked down at her feet. Kennedy just stood to the side, watching her lover cry over Tara, her heartbreaking knowing that she would never reach that part of Willow's heart.
"And afterwards, you will be gone?" Willow asked softly, suppressing the rage she felt at understanding that it really wasn't Tara's time to go.
"I don't know" Tara answered truthfully. Silence fell over the group as the information hung around them heavily. The sound of the ocean underneath them echoed eerily as the sun started to set in the distance.
" Let's do this" Willow said as she brought her head up, determination and anger swirling in her eyes as she made eye contact with Tara. Tara shook her head as Hecate clapped her hands together.
"Let's get this show on the road" as she shoved Eve towards the witches. Eve, Willow and Tara clasped hands as Giles and Kennedy stood behind them with Hecate.
"What is going to happen?" Giles asked as the three women closed their eyes and lowered their chins to their chests.
"If all goes as plan, the next thing you will see is the inside of Atlantis" Hecate whispered as she felt the elements start to gather around the three women.
"So they are going to raise Atlantis" Kennedy cut in. Hecate let out a soft chuckle as she turned to the young slayer.
"No we are going to be brought to Atlantis" Hecate smiled as Kennedy's eyes grew wide.
"But it's below the ocean, we will either be crushed or drown!" Kennedy started to panic. Hecate laughed at her again.
"And I would have figured after spending the last couple years on the Hellmouth with the only slayer to survive past her 25th birthday since Amdis would cure you of your naivety" Hecate held up her hand to silence Kennedy's response as Tara started to chant in Atlantean, Willow repeating her as Eve supplied them with the knowledge of Atlantis's whereabouts. The wind started to howl around the group as the water started to rise, whirl pooling into the air. The power of the women chanting crackled in the air, Kennedy and Giles watched in awe while Hecate smiled. Kennedy yelped as she looked under her feet, looking into the dark hole beneath the group where the water used to be. Hecate winked at Kennedy as the chanting echoed in their water chamber, "Watch that first step" she smiled.
"WHAT?!" Kennedy yelled over the roar of the chanting and the swirling water. The chanting thundered around them. Suddenly, the group plummeted into the darkness of the ocean.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Kennedy and Giles screamed in unison as they were thrown off their feet. Kennedy looked up, her hair whipping around her face. She watched as they passed sharks, fish, whales and coral. Hecate let out a child-like giggle as the group sped through the ocean. Kennedy looked at Willow; her eyes were closed while she held tightly to Tara's and Eve's hands. Her lips were still moving, but Kennedy could no longer hear her chants. Suddenly pillars appeared around the group, the ruins of Atlantis stretched out before them. Before Kennedy could react she was sent flying away from the group as they suddenly stopped. The thought of drowning flashed through her mind as she bounced amongst the ruins of Atlantis, rolling to a stop against a fallen pillar. She started to panic when she realized that she was dry.
"It is okay Kennedy" Hecate laughed as she stood over the three panting women. They had collapsed into a heap when they stopped. Kennedy scrambled over to Willow to make sure she was okay. Tara got up and walked over to Hecate, avoiding the quiet whispers between her love and her lover.
"Where is Giles?" Tara questioned, realizing the older man was not among them. A grunt was heard behind them as a hand shot up, gripping the top of a giant pillar. Giles emerged, dirt and dust covering his face and clothes; his glasses broken, hanging haphazardly off his nose and ear. Kennedy and Willow looked up at the noise as Giles clumsily fell over the pillar and toppled down to the ground. The girls suppressed their giggles as Giles pulled himself to his feet.
"Are you okay Ripper?" Hecate asked as Giles hastily brushed off his clothes, adjusting his glasses before realizing the damage to them.
"Well bullocks" he muttered as Tara walked over to him smiling.
"That was a nasty fall Mr. Giles" Tara laughed softly at Giles' grunt of agreement.
"I was more graceful in my youth" Giles breathed out as Tara took his glasses, whispering as she held them. A small light shone over the glasses, leaving them gleaming like new.
"Well…thank you Tara" Giles smiled as he took them from her, wiping them against a part of his shirt that wasn't dirt covered and placing them on his face. He sighed in awe as he looked up at the palace of Atlantis. The rest of the group finally took in their surroundings as Eve smiled sadly at her home.
"Wait how the hell! There are plants down here? Wait? How the hell are WE down here?" Kennedy demanded as she stood next to Willow. Hecate rolled her eyes at the young slayer.
"You must be the brawns of this relationship" she mumbled, receiving a glare from Tara.
"Atlantis is magical. It can't be destroyed" she paused as she looked around, "completely anyway. Life can still exist here as long as Atlantean descendants still exist" she sighed as she led the group up the stairs to the main door of the palace.
"So who are these descendants?" Giles asked.
"There are very few left. They are magical beings, witches and so forth. One is standing right there" Eve motioned to Tara as she pushed the doors open, the creaking of thousands of years echoed through the marble foyer.
"Did you know that you were a descendant Tara" Giles asked.
"Yes, my mother was one. My brother is too, but he never be able to tap into his magical powers. My mother bound them when she saw my father's influence over my brother's mind. He would be too dangerous if he had any magical ability" Tara replied as they all entered the palace, the door grinding close behind them. The group grew silent as they looked around the fallen palace. Eve held back her tears as she ran her hand over the broken ornaments that were lying on the tables in the foyer. The palace foyer was enormous, with two, curved staircases leading up to the second floor. A thick layer of dust covered everything as the group moved silently, dust trailing their steps. The red carpet beneath their feet still stood out starkly against the white marble, leading up both the staircases and out down the three hallways that joined in the foyer.
"Which way do we go?" Willow asked, breaking Eve out of her trance. She turned away from the tables and nodded down the hallway to the left of the entrance. The group followed her as she led them into the hallways, light drifting through the torn curtains. Glass was still scattered across the floor and the tapestries on the wall were torn, some hanging by threads. Willow stopped at one, the group walking on without her. Tara stopped suddenly as she turned around, Kennedy almost barging into her.
"What are you doing?" Kennedy growled as the others looked at them. Tara let out an exasperated sigh as she pointed over Kennedy's shoulder.
"Willow" she said calmly, brushing past Kennedy as she walked over to Willow, gently placing her hand on Willow's shoulder. A slight shudder ran through Willow's body, unnoticed by everyone except Willow, Tara and Kennedy. Kennedy growled as she walked to the other side of Willow, placing her arm around her waist. Tara ignored her as gazed up at the tapestry.
"That is Vera" Eve said softly behind the women. Willow turned her head in confusion.
"That looks like Faith" she said as she looked back up at the epic battle. The young woman was battling a demon fiercely; determination to win was evident in her eyes, her mouth curled in a snarl at the laughing demon.
"That is because that is Faith" Eve said as she stood behind them, her arms crossed as she looked up at the old tapestry. Willow looked at her incredulously.
"But if she was here, wait." Willow shook her mind as she tried to complete her thoughts. "We know that she is a powerful demon, incredibly old. However, unless of course I am wrong, which doesn't happen often. Well except for that time in the 3rd grade..." Willow stopped at the soft chuckle from Tara. She smiled bashfully at Tara, blushing as she realized she was babbling again. "Sorry. This is when she was human. She isn't as tall as she is now, her skin isn't as pure white as it is now, and she doesn't have any tattoos".
Eve smiled at Willow. "No wonder the Slayer survived". Kennedy looked at her sharply
"I'm a slayer too yanoo" she mumbled as she stepped back. She hated feeling like she was still the rookie of the group. Before Eve could say something Hecate stepped forward.
"Listen young one. You have a role to play in everything as well. But don't you ever assume that you are The Slayer. Up until the battle of the first there was just one slayer, the slayer, who survived death twice. Did it ever occur to you why after the battle with that she-bitch Glory that no other slayer was called? Buffy is the slayer, forever and always. There are things at play right now that are beyond petty titles and competitions. We are here because something is going to happen and all that you know and ever thought to know, is going to change. The question remains, young one, will you be wrapped up in your own insecurities and fears, or will you be strong?" Hecate growled as Kennedy cowered from her.
"Hey be nice to her, she is still learning!" Willow snapped, but was held back by Tara's hand. "Tara?!" Willow looked shocked at Tara.
"One, you are yelling at the goddess of magic" Tara said patiently as realization dawned on Willow's face, who smiled sheepishly at Hecate. Hecate smiled back at her as Tara continued,
"And two she is right. Too much is at stake to be caught up in childish behavior. We know the major part of the prophecy. Only one champion will survive. Buffy is the slayer. She is one of those champions. There is a real possibility that she will die, and this time..." Tara stopped as she looked at Giles,
"She won't be able to come back" he finished Tara's sentence as he looked back up at the tapestry, his brow furrowing as he looked at it closely.
"Who is she fighting?" He asked.
"Ronwe, the demon of Knowledge. Come, we have work still to be done" Eve said, trying to urge the group forward.
"Wait" Giles said as he gently pushed through the group, looking at the bottom of the tapestry. He read the title of the tapestry out loud, the shock in his voice echoed in the hall as he turned sharply to look at Eve, "The end of the Slayer line".
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The fire light danced across the room, playing with its shadows as they crossed over the two bodies lying on the floor. Sweat dripped from their naked bodies as the sounds of their passion echoed off the mansion walls. Plush pillows and blankets twisted around them, torn fabrics hanging by threads. Their bodies pulsed in tune with each other as the marks of their love start to fade from their skin, only to be replaced by new ones. Lips searched out each other as their orgasms rolled through their spent bodies that still had no intention of stopping. Their auras shining brightly together, mixing above them until they couldn't tell where they stopped and the other began.
"Buffy" Faith growled into her ear as she felt Buffy's fingers reach deeper inside of her. Buffy's eyes didn't leave the woman above her as she felt her lover climax again, feeling their connection deep within herself until she felt herself climaxing from just watching Faith. They collapsed into each other, micro-spasms and mini-orgasms still rampaging through their bodies. The heat from the fire paled in comparison to the heat between them. Faith stretched her body out, sighing in relief as her muscles stretched after being held tight for hours. Buffy traced the tattoo on Faith's arm, smiling at the warmth emanating from her skin. Faith's eyes swirled both emerald and gold as her souls hummed together.
"This may sound cliched but I have never felt like this before" Buffy whispered as she pressed her naked body further against Faith's.
"I know I...."Faith smiled as she struggled to find the words. Buffy gently ran her hand through Faith's hair as Faith closed her eyes. "I feel my demon soul and my human soul mixing with each other, as if for once they are not fighting with each other and are in total agreement with each other. I feel warm inside, I feel human" Faith opened her eyes, tears filling her eyes. Buffy smiled sadly at her and went to wipe her tears before Faith stopped her hands.
"I can't let you ever wipe my tears away" Faith choked at she quickly wiped her tears, turning her head away.
"Faith" Buffy sighed as she turned Faith's head back to her. She saw the blood streaked across Faith's face and smiled at her. "Blood tears" Buffy smiled at her, leaning forward, kissing the corner of her eyes.
"B" Faith pulled Buffy's face down, kissing her lips softly as their hands wandered over each other's bodies, reacquainting themselves with each other's curves. Buffy gently pulled Faith down on top of her, resting Faith's head on her shoulder. They quietly watched the fire dance, enjoying the quiet for once in their lives.
Angelus smiled as he looked into the mansion, watching the two women lay with each other.
"Oh Buffy still can't stay away from the demons" he sang to himself. He turned, stepping over the body of one of the younger slayers as he whistled to himself.
AN:
I'M BACK! Sorry for the insane long time between updates....Will update by february. Much love.
This is for lele, and AR, who waited patiently for me to get myself back on my feet. Love you both