"I've been waiting here,
Waiting for faith.
I've nowhere to fall.
Now the darkness comes.
And I pray for, the end of us all." - Gary Numan, Dark
Xander and Willow linked hands, still confused on what to do. They didn't notice the arc of energy that appeared when their hands touched.
"Playtime's over, buddy." the other Xander grinned triumphantly, "Time to die."
The other Willow pouted, "But I was having so much fun."
He turned, and grinned at her, giving her a savage kiss, "Don't worry, we'll kill them real slow to make it last longer." The other Willow smiled evilly.
"I want your twin for my new puppy. Can I? I've been such a good little girl." she whined a little, as she rubbed sensually against him.
He chuckled darkly, "Sure, babe. Go right ahead." The other Willow, still smiling evilly, approached Xander slowly. Willow however, stepped in front of him, her wand ready for staking.
"Over my dead body!" she commanded.
The other Willow chuckled a little, and said, "As you wish." She then went to grab Willow around the neck to strangle her, but was stopped by a sword at her throat.
"Touch her, and you will pray that I kill you swiftly." Xander spoke darkly, his eyes unwavering.
Willow shook her head, "Xander, no. We can't kill them." She placed a hand on his sword, staying him.
"Will, I tried burying that asshole last time, and you see how well that worked!"
"Because I wasn't completely there to help you. But now I am," she said as she switched the wand to her left, and grabbed his hand. A new surge of energy united through them, linking them.
"What do you mean?" he asked, wondering. He looked at the hands, and was confused on what was happening. He felt...separated? Whole? He didn't know what to think anymore. It was getting harder to think, which wasn't surprising to him since he had never been the thinker type. All he could see now was light, bright as the sun, shining all around them. He shut his eyes against the glare.
"Xander, open your eyes. It is all right." he heard a voice say. It sounded like Willow's but it also sounded like his own. He opened his eyes.
Willow also was confused on what was going on. She felt a sense of calmness, just like when she had worked that spell for Angel, but this was more personal. She knew what needed to be done, but she didn't know _how_ she knew. It was just there. There was light all around them now. It was so bright. She closed her eyes against the glare.
"Willow, open your eyes. It is all right." she heard a voice say to her. Xander? But it sounded like her voice as well. How odd. She opened her eyes.
Then everything changed. The light expanded outward, becoming a nova. In the distance, a screaming was heard, something inhuman shrieking in pain. Then there was silence.
The pair blinked and looked around in surprise. The arid landscape was gone, replaced by a beautiful meadow where nearby a clear spring-fed stream burbled over rocks. A gentle breeze blew, stirring the slightest strands of their hair.
"Ok, this is nice. I don't think we're in Nightmareland anymore, Will." Xander joked.
"It is nice, but where are we?"
"You have always been here. In your minds that is, or should I say, the fragments of myself." another voice said. The voice was a blend of Xander's and Willow's, yet it was more whole, and seemed to resonate with a sound all its own. A bright figure approached them. Its hair wavered between the blackness of deep space, and the fiery red of a star being born, its eyes constantly changing. White humps along its back hinted at the hidden wings, and its skin shimmered with sunlight.
"Who are you? Are you an angel?" Willow asked, her rosebud mouth forming a "o" of awe.
The figure nodded, "I was, once. I was Kaladiel, a servant in God's Army under the Archangel Michael. But that was eons ago, long before I came to Earth. I loved watching you mortals, playing, caring for each other. Seeing people fall in love with each other." The two blushed at this comment. "I was intrigued. To be special enough to receive the gift of free will, well, I thought this deserved more investigation. So I fell to Earth, and became mortal. Soon enough, I fell in love. A woman so beautiful she rivaled the heavens in her splendor. Her appearance was not unlike yours, dear blessed one." He nodded to Willow, who started at this revelation. "However, old enemies of mine resurfaced. Malechior was one of the worst. He used to be called Machiorel, one of God's Light. He worked closely with the Morning Star, that who you know to be Lucifer. And his mind became poisoned with pride just like so many others. And I was one of those who helped send them to Hell." The angel paused for a moment in thought, a frown marring its perfect features. Its eyes held pain and guilt that lasted for ages. Willow had seen that look in Angel's eyes, but that was only a glimmer in comparison to the depths present here. The angel continued, "To prevent an attack, I did something rather foolish. I merged my wife's soul with my own. I had no idea how much it would affect us. I received her wonderful sense of humor, and her mortality, for I was still immortal to a degree before. In return she was given my wisdom, and an inkling of my immortality. Only to the point that barring no injuries, she would live a very full life, well past her children and grandchildren. It was not to be so however. Malechior found us. At first he wished to take revenge upon myself, but when he saw my wife." The being shuddered for a moment, "There are no words that can come close to describing what he did to her. And due to our bond, I felt and saw it all through her eyes." An intense pain mixed with horror as though the being could still see the hellish events before him darkened the eyes. Willow and Xander both felt a wave of sympathy wash over them at the sight of the angel's plight. The being then looked up at them, the eyes now infinite mirrors that reflected their own souls.
Kaladiel then smiled, warmly, so full of kindness that the sun seemed cold in comparison, though it remained tempered by ages of sorrow, saying to Willow, "You are the side of my wife truly, I can see you've borne much wisdom, and inner strength, like hers, and like mine." He then studied her to the side a bit, "Ah, you are a student of magick, I am not surprised. Magick is a natural force; it flowed in my veins as freely as it does in yours. Treasure it well, and nurture it. But use my wisdom and be careful, for it is a powerful gift, and one not to be abused." Willow nodded eagerly, too much in awe to speak.
The angel then turned to Xander, "And you, brave one, while you have my wife's gift for humor, you are indeed like myself. Full of courage, yet much pain. Do not despair at the fool's path, for only a fool can one day find wisdom. Like you have." He smiled as he again gestured to Willow, and then turned back to Xander, "You mustn't underestimate yourself, for you are more gifted than you realize. I knew of your father, long ago, " at this statement, Xander blinked in surprise, "He was good, but he had much pride, not unlike my fallen brethren, and he was curious too, at such beings who were gifted, and yet were so wasteful of their gifts. And like you have started to do, he allowed to himself to be overwhelmed by guilt of his own pride, and his own foolish mistakes. Only as a mortal, he found ways to escape it, unsuccessfully though they were."
He then unfurled his wings, and turned around, readying to leave, "My time is short, and you both have a hard battle ahead of you. Facing yourself is a start, but it will take more to defeat the darkness you are to confront soon. Much more. Hopefully you will realize your full potential by then, though I wonder if even that will be enough." He then started to walk away.
Xander then stepped forward, "Wait a minute! Who are you really? Us? Or are we you?"
Kaladiel turned back towards them, "You are me, just as I am you. But the severing has altered you, so you are yourselves as well. But you are linked, through me, and through each other. Your souls have been drawing together since my and my wife's death. Perhaps now, we can both find peace. Be well, my inheritors. Keep your love for each other strong, and you will succeed against the darkness. Farewell." The being then took the sky, and a light appeared around him that widened, and encompassed Xander and Willow, surrounding them, and filling them. Then the light brightened so there was nothing else.
Waiting for faith.
I've nowhere to fall.
Now the darkness comes.
And I pray for, the end of us all." - Gary Numan, Dark
Xander and Willow linked hands, still confused on what to do. They didn't notice the arc of energy that appeared when their hands touched.
"Playtime's over, buddy." the other Xander grinned triumphantly, "Time to die."
The other Willow pouted, "But I was having so much fun."
He turned, and grinned at her, giving her a savage kiss, "Don't worry, we'll kill them real slow to make it last longer." The other Willow smiled evilly.
"I want your twin for my new puppy. Can I? I've been such a good little girl." she whined a little, as she rubbed sensually against him.
He chuckled darkly, "Sure, babe. Go right ahead." The other Willow, still smiling evilly, approached Xander slowly. Willow however, stepped in front of him, her wand ready for staking.
"Over my dead body!" she commanded.
The other Willow chuckled a little, and said, "As you wish." She then went to grab Willow around the neck to strangle her, but was stopped by a sword at her throat.
"Touch her, and you will pray that I kill you swiftly." Xander spoke darkly, his eyes unwavering.
Willow shook her head, "Xander, no. We can't kill them." She placed a hand on his sword, staying him.
"Will, I tried burying that asshole last time, and you see how well that worked!"
"Because I wasn't completely there to help you. But now I am," she said as she switched the wand to her left, and grabbed his hand. A new surge of energy united through them, linking them.
"What do you mean?" he asked, wondering. He looked at the hands, and was confused on what was happening. He felt...separated? Whole? He didn't know what to think anymore. It was getting harder to think, which wasn't surprising to him since he had never been the thinker type. All he could see now was light, bright as the sun, shining all around them. He shut his eyes against the glare.
"Xander, open your eyes. It is all right." he heard a voice say. It sounded like Willow's but it also sounded like his own. He opened his eyes.
Willow also was confused on what was going on. She felt a sense of calmness, just like when she had worked that spell for Angel, but this was more personal. She knew what needed to be done, but she didn't know _how_ she knew. It was just there. There was light all around them now. It was so bright. She closed her eyes against the glare.
"Willow, open your eyes. It is all right." she heard a voice say to her. Xander? But it sounded like her voice as well. How odd. She opened her eyes.
Then everything changed. The light expanded outward, becoming a nova. In the distance, a screaming was heard, something inhuman shrieking in pain. Then there was silence.
The pair blinked and looked around in surprise. The arid landscape was gone, replaced by a beautiful meadow where nearby a clear spring-fed stream burbled over rocks. A gentle breeze blew, stirring the slightest strands of their hair.
"Ok, this is nice. I don't think we're in Nightmareland anymore, Will." Xander joked.
"It is nice, but where are we?"
"You have always been here. In your minds that is, or should I say, the fragments of myself." another voice said. The voice was a blend of Xander's and Willow's, yet it was more whole, and seemed to resonate with a sound all its own. A bright figure approached them. Its hair wavered between the blackness of deep space, and the fiery red of a star being born, its eyes constantly changing. White humps along its back hinted at the hidden wings, and its skin shimmered with sunlight.
"Who are you? Are you an angel?" Willow asked, her rosebud mouth forming a "o" of awe.
The figure nodded, "I was, once. I was Kaladiel, a servant in God's Army under the Archangel Michael. But that was eons ago, long before I came to Earth. I loved watching you mortals, playing, caring for each other. Seeing people fall in love with each other." The two blushed at this comment. "I was intrigued. To be special enough to receive the gift of free will, well, I thought this deserved more investigation. So I fell to Earth, and became mortal. Soon enough, I fell in love. A woman so beautiful she rivaled the heavens in her splendor. Her appearance was not unlike yours, dear blessed one." He nodded to Willow, who started at this revelation. "However, old enemies of mine resurfaced. Malechior was one of the worst. He used to be called Machiorel, one of God's Light. He worked closely with the Morning Star, that who you know to be Lucifer. And his mind became poisoned with pride just like so many others. And I was one of those who helped send them to Hell." The angel paused for a moment in thought, a frown marring its perfect features. Its eyes held pain and guilt that lasted for ages. Willow had seen that look in Angel's eyes, but that was only a glimmer in comparison to the depths present here. The angel continued, "To prevent an attack, I did something rather foolish. I merged my wife's soul with my own. I had no idea how much it would affect us. I received her wonderful sense of humor, and her mortality, for I was still immortal to a degree before. In return she was given my wisdom, and an inkling of my immortality. Only to the point that barring no injuries, she would live a very full life, well past her children and grandchildren. It was not to be so however. Malechior found us. At first he wished to take revenge upon myself, but when he saw my wife." The being shuddered for a moment, "There are no words that can come close to describing what he did to her. And due to our bond, I felt and saw it all through her eyes." An intense pain mixed with horror as though the being could still see the hellish events before him darkened the eyes. Willow and Xander both felt a wave of sympathy wash over them at the sight of the angel's plight. The being then looked up at them, the eyes now infinite mirrors that reflected their own souls.
Kaladiel then smiled, warmly, so full of kindness that the sun seemed cold in comparison, though it remained tempered by ages of sorrow, saying to Willow, "You are the side of my wife truly, I can see you've borne much wisdom, and inner strength, like hers, and like mine." He then studied her to the side a bit, "Ah, you are a student of magick, I am not surprised. Magick is a natural force; it flowed in my veins as freely as it does in yours. Treasure it well, and nurture it. But use my wisdom and be careful, for it is a powerful gift, and one not to be abused." Willow nodded eagerly, too much in awe to speak.
The angel then turned to Xander, "And you, brave one, while you have my wife's gift for humor, you are indeed like myself. Full of courage, yet much pain. Do not despair at the fool's path, for only a fool can one day find wisdom. Like you have." He smiled as he again gestured to Willow, and then turned back to Xander, "You mustn't underestimate yourself, for you are more gifted than you realize. I knew of your father, long ago, " at this statement, Xander blinked in surprise, "He was good, but he had much pride, not unlike my fallen brethren, and he was curious too, at such beings who were gifted, and yet were so wasteful of their gifts. And like you have started to do, he allowed to himself to be overwhelmed by guilt of his own pride, and his own foolish mistakes. Only as a mortal, he found ways to escape it, unsuccessfully though they were."
He then unfurled his wings, and turned around, readying to leave, "My time is short, and you both have a hard battle ahead of you. Facing yourself is a start, but it will take more to defeat the darkness you are to confront soon. Much more. Hopefully you will realize your full potential by then, though I wonder if even that will be enough." He then started to walk away.
Xander then stepped forward, "Wait a minute! Who are you really? Us? Or are we you?"
Kaladiel turned back towards them, "You are me, just as I am you. But the severing has altered you, so you are yourselves as well. But you are linked, through me, and through each other. Your souls have been drawing together since my and my wife's death. Perhaps now, we can both find peace. Be well, my inheritors. Keep your love for each other strong, and you will succeed against the darkness. Farewell." The being then took the sky, and a light appeared around him that widened, and encompassed Xander and Willow, surrounding them, and filling them. Then the light brightened so there was nothing else.
