Chapter 54:

Eden's POV:

I moved through the thick curtain of rain, slow and graceful, in what could have been taken for a dance if you didn't know the steps, the complete control in them was another preparation for battle.

Long arms and long legs swept through the rain so smoothly they barely disturbed its falling pattern. From a few feet away, Angel could see my muscles tremble as I held a pose, endlessly held it, for my arms were bared in my tank top that clung to my skin since it had been saturated.

I lifted a leg behind me into the air, bent at the knee, reaching an arm back to grab my barefoot. I breathed deep for a moment, before bringing my leg down and sweeping it out to the side, and then dropped into a long crouch, arms parallel to the ground.

As I straightened and lowered my arms, I could feel the sore and stiffness return to my back and shoulders. I was almost one hundred percent healed and back in training, determined to never let an opponent beat me that way again. And, with Angel's constant coaching and new training schedule, I knew I wasn't the only one determined to make me better.

I was soaked to the bone and cold from the onslaught of rain. My hair hung in heavy wet strands around my shoulders and my clothes were weighed down with water and sticking to every inch of my skin. I was thoroughly sore and exhausted and hoped Angel accepted of my session of Tai Chi so I could head inside and take a hot shower, followed by a nap.

"Good." He gave a nod of approval. "That will do for today."

I left out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding. I didn't argue and bolted into the house before he changed his mind, practically colliding with Spike on my way in.

"Whoa, easy Love." His cool hands closed over my upper arms to keep me from stumbling and his eyes took in my wet state. "Is he trying to put you back in bed with pneumonia?"

"No." I shook my head, causing a couple water droplets to splash onto his black t-shirt.

"Look, I'm all for adjusting your training schedule to help you get better so a Turok-han doesn't kill you again, but this is too much. You're going to get sick and you just recently got back on your feet. This won't help you're recovery." He scoffed. "We need you healthy so you can save the world and all. Excuse me while I go have a chat with tall, dark and forehead."

I watched him stalk outside and when the door closed I could hear the muffled shouting, but didn't stick around. I rather made my way upstairs without further incident and hopped into a blisteringly hot shower.

I was in the process of toweling my hair dry when I heard Willow's shrieking from downstairs. Already, your redheaded witch comes closer to the answer. Cian's voice echoed in my head and I hastily discarded the towel and leapt agilely down the stairs.

"What's going on?" Dawn asked, just as I appeared in the living room entryway.

Willow was clutching an ancient looking text to her chest with feverish excitement glowing in her face. "I've found it."

"You're going to have to be a bit more specific than that, Red." Spike replied drolly, looking at Willow as though she were slightly out of her mind.

"No, no. I've found out how to defeat the First." Willow beamed proudly at all of them. Every single one of the Slayerette team had gathered around the witch and she now had their complete attention.

"It's going to require a lot of magic, a lot of strong, old magic." She began before her eyes locked with mine. "And, it's going to take a Slayer with courage and heart."

"Why me?" I glanced over to my sister slayers. "Why not Buffy or Faith?"

"Because, according to the text, the best way to ultimately destroy the slayer to kill her soul mate. Angel is untouchable, not only is he protected by the Powers that Be due to being a Champion, he is more than capable of defending himself." Willow smiled briefly at Angel, who had wrapped a loving arm around Buffy. "I know Faith and Robin are in love, but I'm still unsure about the soul mate factor."

"So that leaves Eden as the only slayer left to strike at." Faith tucked her hand in Robin's and squeezed it gently.

"Which means they'll be after Legolas." I said it out loud for I knew that no one else dared to. "He's my soul mate, so they'll be after him."

"Does that mean the final battle on Lammas will be in Middle Earth?" Connor piped in from his seat by the fireplace.

"I believe so." Willow nodded. "I've done the research, all the prophecies lead to this. Even now, the First is already relocating its armies to Middle Earth. As it's still a place of magic, it will be easier to recruit more to its cause. While we've been figuring things out, they've been preparing for the final battle."

"But you said you've found a way to defeat the First?" I elevated an eyebrow, trying not to worry about my friends, should the Turok-hans and Bringers already be filtering into the peaceful land.

"Come Lammas, the First's entity will link itself with its most loyal servant." Willow explained. "This gives it a life force. Kill its servant once they have been linked, and the First will be destroyed."

"Calem." I muttered tersely under my breath, cursing the preacher who would plague my dreams with messages of death.

"You make it sound so simple." Dawn commented.

"It won't be. The First is powerful, as is Calem. Combining their powers will make them stronger, a force to be reckoned with." Buffy shook her head. "It will be quite the showdown."

"And one Eden must undertake alone." Willow added, before the uproars of disapproval.

"She can't go back alone!"

"Are you crazy, the Turok-han nearly killed her!"

"I'm not going to sit around like a nancy boy and let her risk her life without me!"

"QUIET!" I shouted, glaring at them all until they fell silent. "Let her finish."

"Thanks." Willow shot me a quick look of gratitude. "I think I have enough power to send you back. It'll be risky, a probably painful, but if I look into it, I think I can do it. But, it will drain me considerably; it might even kill us both should something go wrong. That's why I can only send one person."

The room remained silent, so she turned fully to face me. "I believe it's possible for me to send you back, but once you're there, you'll be on your own. I'll write down the spells and such, but you'll have to find someone to perform them, someone with a lot o experience with magicks."

"You'll need an army." Angel stepped away from Buffy to place a hand on my shoulder. "Gather allies and weapons, storm their fortress, and win, because we need you alive."

"And if I chose not to come back?" I asked, looking his soulful brown eyes.

"That choice is not yours to make, Eden." Giles interrupted. "The Powers would not let you remain in Middle Earth after victory. They'll yank you back as they did before because they created your destiny."

"If it were in my power to let you stay and be happy, I would have done this long before now, but I'm no match for the Powers that Be, no matter how powerful I may be." Willow looked at me sadly.

"You're right." I sighed dejectedly. I knew that they were speaking the truth. I was the slayer, and I belonged in this world. But hopefully this time, I'd get to say goodbye at least.

"Keep holding on to that hope, Eden." Buffy spoke softly. "You may get your happily ever after yet. The rest of us will hold the lines here. I can guarantee the First isn't taking its whole army to Middle Earth and we'll have our own war to wage."

"When will you send me home?" I looked to Willow. I was anxious to return to the place I viewed as home, even if it would be short lived.

"We've wasted enough time as it is." Willow placed the book down on the table. "Be ready to leave tomorrow. First thing in the morning, you're going home."

A/N: haha, so are you all excited? She's going back! But don't get too love struck because we've got plenty more action and drama still to come and Cian to deal with. Review please and stay tuned.