Boris Yeltsin - Let the fighting begin...
spike'smate - Tara is a light witch, Rack can't have her!
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Chapter 29: Strawberry
Willow stopped Sister Morrigan just before they rounded the corner.
"They are around this corner," whispered Willow, feeling the darkness emanating from the room.
"I can feel them. Are you sure you are ready for this?"
"Nope, but I have to be. I have too for Tara."
"How do you want to do this?"
"You wait here until I can get Tara away from him."
"Not going to happen. We go in together and we'll get Sister Tara out of there first, then we'll deal with Rack and Celia."
Willow nodded knowing that she wasn't going to win this argument.
"Ah, just a few moments and she'll be here," gloated Rack, looking at a dazed and confused Tara. The pain she had endured was taking its toll on her.
"W-what are y-you going t-to do to h-her?"
"That is none of your concern."
"But it is mine," said Sister Morrigan as she and Willow entered the room. Willow quickly made her way over to Tara.
"Hi, Baby," said Willow, pulling Tara into her arms and kissing the side of her head. "You're safe now."
"Willow," cried Tara as she wrapped her arms around the redhead to make sure she was real and not a trick posed by Rack.
"Get away from her," bellowed Rack.
Willow moved her body in front of Tara's just as the bolt that shot from Rack's hand hit her in the chest. Willow was thrown to the back of the cave.
"WILLOW," cried out both Sister Morrigan and Tara. Both started to lunge toward the redhead, but they stopped when they saw her raise her hand indicating for them not to come to her side.
Willow wiped the blood from her mouth and stood up. There was a white light surrounding her, something nobody in that room had ever seen.
"You should leave now Rack," said Willow, moving forward towards Rack. "Go back to hell where I left you."
"And why would I do that, Strawberry? You're finally here and you will be mine."
"No, I won't." The calmness in Willow's voice unnerved everyone in the room. "You should have stayed in Hell. Now, I'm going to have to eliminate you entirely."
"Oh, please. Enough with the dramatics. You know you want the darkness, to feel the highs and what I can give you."
"N-no she d-doesn't," stammered Tara, making her way to her feet and over to Sister Morrigan's side.
"And I told you to shut up." Rack shot a bolt of dark magic into Tara, knocking her back into Willow and causing them both to fall to the ground.
Sister Morrigan had had enough of Rack and launched her own bolt of white magic into him. She heard him cry out in pain just before she was hit with a bolt of dark magic. Everyone took a moment to gather their wits and get back up and standing. Once everyone was up, Tara took Willow's hand and the white light that was surrounding Willow engulfed them both.
"By light of day and dark of night,
Goddess hear our plea today,
Strike down this evil being,
Send him back to hell again."
As they said the chant, a white light started to move toward where Rack was standing. As he saw the light moving he started to laugh.
"Oh Strawberry, you make such feeble attempts to pretend to be good. Let me help you remember…" With that Rack sent a strong bolt of dark magic at Willow. The magic moved so fast that everyone was taken by surprise as they were knocked to the ground by its force.
"WILLOW," cried Tara as she tried to make her way to the now unconscious redhead. "Come on, Sweetie. Stay with me."
"She...is...mine," said Rack as he sent another bolt of magic and picked Willow up just as Tara was reaching for her. Rack floated Willow toward himself infusing her with dark magic the whole way. He could see the dark magic engulfing the redhead as her hair and eyes started to turn black. "That's it. Absorb the magic, feel that rush. It won't be long and you'll fully be mine."
"No she won't," said Sister Morrigan as she reached up and physically grabbed Willow's arm as she was passing by. Sister Morrigan started to infuse Willow with light magic and the black that was engulfing her body started to subside. "She was yours, now she is a sister of the light."
Willow started to stir and found herself several feet off the ground. "I'm not yours Rack, I'll never be yours."
"Willow," said Tara, reaching for Willow's hand.
"I'll make it easy for you Strawberry, either you come with me willingly now, or I take it out on your girlfriend." Without warning Rack again shot a bolt of dark magic at Tara, hitting her square in the chest and knocking her back into the wall unconscious.
"Tara," called Willow as her body dropped to the ground and she tried to move to her girlfriend, but every ounce of her body ached. She was finding it hard to move, breathing hurt. "Sister, please, get her out of here."
Hearing Willow's plea, Sister Morrigan moved and picked up Tara and set her outside the room where Rack could no longer torture and torment her. Before Sister Morrigan could return Rack put up a barrier blocking the doorway and trapping himself and Willow together.
"What are you going to do now? It's just us. You, me, and the darkness-"
"This is how I've wanted it," interrupted Willow as she stood and squared off against Rack. The light surrounding her and the darkness surrounding him. It was truly going to be a battle of light versus dark.
As the Sisters rounded the final corner they saw Tara and Sister Morrigan trying in vain to get through the barrier and help Willow.
"Sister Morrigan, how can we help?" asked Sister Lara.
"Check over Sister Tara. She has been through a lot and there is still more to come, I can feel that."
"Where is Willow?" asked another of the Sisters.
"She's beyond the barrier alone with Celia and Rack."
"W-willow?" stammered Tara as she came to. The fear in her voice was evident.
tbc...
